Roman terracotta Dressel II type amphora , Imperial Period, 1st-2nd Century A.D.

The morphology of Dressel 2 amphoras is characterized by a thickened rim towards the outside, a long truncated cone or cylindrical neck, and a generally cylindrical body, although it sometimes has a fusiform or ovoid morphology, and rests on a solid pivot. The handles have a characteristic forked section and a right-angled profile, and rest on the shoulders, which usually have a marked hump. The forerunners of amphoras were the Greeks, although they soon spread throughout the Phoenician and Roman worlds, being used to transport liquids and food, as well as to store them. Normally they could contain at least 25 to 30 litres, their shape varying depending on whether they were carrying wine, oil, salt, cereals or other food.