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But recent researches have shown that nearly all the provincial wares can be traced to Gaulish or German potteries, and, since it is implied by Pliny that “Samian” pottery is older than “Arretine,” the name may now be fairly rejected altogether, as we have rejected the name “Etruscan” for Greek pottery.

The Arretine ware may be regarded as the Roman pottery par excellence, and its popularity extended from about 150 b.c. down to the end of the 1st century of the Empire, reaching its height in the 1st century b.c., after which it rapidly degenerated, and its place was taken by the wares of the provinces.

Arretine ware, as has been noted, steadily degenerated during the 1st century of the Empire, and the manufacture of ornamental pottery appears to have entirely died out in Italy by the time of Trajan.

The ornament is invariably coarser than that of Arretine ware, by which, however, it is indirectly inspired.

But it was only accepted with diffidence as a convenient name, and as early as 1840 discoveries at Arezzo made it possible to distinguish the vases found there as a local product, now known as “Arretine” ware.