Walking - Lezoux, Terre d'histoire
Departmental Museum of Ceramics –
Located in a former pottery factory from the 19th century, the museum showcases collections from the archaeological site of Lezoux. Lezoux was one of the largest centers of ceramic production in the Roman Empire. Over dozens of hectares, potters shaped hundreds of millions of vases. Among these productions, the most important and notable is the production of sigillated ceramics. Archaeologists are responsible for the invention of this term. Impressed by the presence of numerous decorations borrowed from Roman iconography and marks of potters stamped with a matrix punch, they drew inspiration from the Latin word *sigillum* meaning seal. It is a tableware of bright red color. Both turned and/or molded, it presents a fairly wide range of shapes (plates, goblets, cups…) and decorations that potters have been able to evolve according to the needs, tastes and fashion of the time. Manufactured in series, it required potters to have a high level of technical mastery to guarantee standardized products in terms of quality, shape, decorations and firing techniques. Marketed in large quantities, this tableware mainly testifies to the diffusion of Romanity throughout Europe.
Located in a former pottery factory from the 19th century, the museum showcases collections from the archaeological site of Lezoux. Lezoux was one of the largest centers of ceramic production in the Roman Empire. Over dozens of hectares, potters shaped hundreds of millions of vases. Among these productions, the most important and notable is the production of sigillated ceramics. Archaeologists are responsible for the invention of this term. Impressed by the presence of numerous decorations borrowed from Roman iconography and marks of potters stamped with a matrix punch, they drew inspiration from the Latin word *sigillum* meaning seal. It is a tableware of bright red color. Both turned and/or molded, it presents a fairly wide range of shapes (plates, goblets, cups…) and decorations that potters have been able to evolve according to the needs, tastes and fashion of the time. Manufactured in series, it required potters to have a high level of technical mastery to guarantee standardized products in terms of quality, shape, decorations and firing techniques. Marketed in large quantities, this tableware mainly testifies to the diffusion of Romanity throughout Europe.