There are few subjects in Archaeology more intensively studied than agriculture, for it is one of the cornerstones of human development and ancient economies. Praised by traditionalist Roman authors as the foundation of civic life, abundantly represented within the archaeological record, and central to understanding patterns of production and trade, the villa has long been a privileged subject of scholarly attention. Archaeologists have traditionally identified villae (sometimes too generously) across the Roman Empire, often interpreting them as symbols of both wealth and rural productivity. Yet, the research conducted up until the early 2000s was not without significant methodological issues. Scholars frequently gave disproportionate attention to only certain features (lavish mosaics, bath complexes, or large productive spaces) while neglecting more ordinary but equally important aspects. Surveys were often limited in scope, and, more relevantly for this review, the study of building materials and storage vessels was generally disregarded. While the popularisation of GIS and other computational tools fostered remarkable advances in landscape archaeology, the same cannot be said of storage areas and their most characteristic feature: the dolium. This type of massive ceramic container has traditionally received only fragmentary attention, mostly through site-specific studies or, occasionally, broader treatments [1], sometimes in provincial contexts such as Hispania. [2]

It is within this broader context of relative scholarly neglect that the book under review makes its significant and timely appearance. With the explicit objective of providing a comprehensive and synthetic overview of the subject, the volume ambitiously "follows the life cycle of (1) the dolium, dolium technology, and dolium industries [...] and, in discussing the use of dolia, (2) the supply chain of wine, from its production to its storage, transport and retail" (16). As the author herself emphasizes, the work is carefully structured in accordance with the methodological principles of ceramic analysis, thereby ensuring both internal coherence and analytical clarity. The discussion appropriately begins with an examination of the origins and principal functions of the vessel (chapters 2 and 3), coupled with a consideration of the considerable profitability of the opus doliare, a phenomenon amply attested by a range of written sources, including epigraphic evidence. This dual approach (combining archaeological typology with textual testimony) renders especially persuasive the argument that the dolium was not merely a utilitarian container but a key component of the economic infrastructure of the Roman world.

The analysis then broadens its perspective (chapters 3 and 4), situating dolia within the wider framework of Roman wine production and trade. In this section, the author draws attention to the diverse archaeological contexts in which such vessels could be encountered: in the holds of transport ships, in the pantries of thermopolia, or in the cellars of large rural villae, where they often appeared in the hundreds. By reconstructing this variety of contexts, the book underscores the ubiquity of the dolium and its indispensable role in sustaining the economic and social practices associated with viticulture and commerce.

Once the functional significance of the vessel has been established, the study turns to a more object-focused perspective. Chapter 5 introduces a limited but instructive set of provincial examples, particularly from Hispania and Gallia, thereby providing a comparative lens that highlights both regional adaptations and the broader diffusion of the practice. Chapter 6 subsequently offers an in-depth examination of some of the most prominent Italian case studies (Cosa, Pompeii, Ostia, and Rome) presented with a degree of detail that facilitates nuanced comparison between different archaeological environments.

The narrative then proceeds to trace the "life cycle" of the dolium. This analysis encompasses its manufacture and initial deployment, its recurrent repair and maintenance (chapter 7), and, ultimately, its disappearance as both a material object and as a once-dominant storage technology (chapter 8). In each stage of this trajectory, the author carefully considers the variability of practices across time and space, suggesting that differences in repair techniques and patterns of reuse may point to diverse workshop traditions and production strategies.

The final chapter (9) synthesizes the principal findings while also offering broader reflections on the significance of dolia for the study of Roman economic and material history. It should furthermore be noted that the concluding forty pages of the volume are devoted to appendices. These include systematically organized datasets, presented in tabular and graphic form, alongside detailed descriptions of specific dolia cited in the main text. These appendices greatly enhance the scholarly value of the work, ensuring that it may serve not only as an interpretive study but also as a fundamental reference resource for future research.

As other reviewers have noted, perhaps the most remarkable contribution of this book lies in its very existence (Alex Hagler in World History Encyclopedia [3]; Paulina Komar in Economic Anthropology 12(1) [4]). General overviews require a vast investment of time and energy and can sometimes risk sacrificing depth for breadth. Yet when well executed, they serve an invaluable function: they consolidate scattered knowledge and give scholars a much-needed foundation on which to build further studies. This volume succeeds precisely in that regard. By revisiting the origins, development, and economic importance of the dolium, the author has provided a study that should be considered essential reading for anyone engaged in the archaeology of wine production, trade, or Roman ceramics more broadly.

That being said, one important caveat must be addressed. With the exception of chapter 5, the book concentrates primarily on the Italian "experience" of dolium use, drawing on some of the best-documented case studies from the peninsula. This geographical focus does not diminish the validity of the research, since dolia did originate in Italy and spread outward together with the Roman "way of life." The reliance on both archaeological and literary sources also succeeds in situating the vessel within a wider historical context. Nevertheless, the absence of a systematic typological classification (at least for Roman Italy) stands out as a missed opportunity. Such a classification could have transformed an already strong monograph into an indispensable handbook, offering researchers not only an interpretive framework but also a practical tool for identifying forms and tracing stylistic evolution across regions and centuries.

Caroline Cheung's "Dolia" is, without doubt, a highly welcome addition to the growing scholarship on ancient ceramic vessels. The choice of pottery type, far from conventional, reflects a bold and refreshing decision to address a long-standing gap in English-language academia. The book effectively demonstrates the importance of the dolium not merely as a storage container but as an integral component of Roman economic networks, deeply embedded in agricultural and commercial practices. That said, the lacuna remains vast, particularly in terms of typological systematisation and comparative studies outside Italy. As it stands, this volume serves both as a work of reference on the dolium and as an up-to-date state of the art on Roman wine production and trade, offering a solid foundation upon which future research can continue to build.

Notes:

[1] Gianmarco M. R. Brenni: The dolia and the sea-borne commerce of Imperial Rome, PhD thesis, Texas A&M University 1985.

[2] Maria Rueda / Ramon Járrega (eds.): Dolia ex Hispania: els dolia a les províncies d'Hispania en època romana. Estat de la qüestió i perspectives, Tarragona 2024.

[3] Alex Hagler (Rev.): Dolia: The Containers That Made Rome an Empire of Wine, in: World History Encyclopedia (2024). Online, accessed 22/6/2026: https://www.worldhistory.org/review/465/dolia-the-containers-that-made-rome-an-empire-of-w/

[4] Paulina Komar (Rev.): Dolia: The containers that made Rome an empire of wine. By Caroline Cheung, in: Economic Anthropology 12(1) (2025).

Arnau Lario Devesa