Watching a movie about an underwater archaeology discovery and investigation of an ancient sunken ship, I finally learned last week what the "amphora" shape is for.

I couldn't understand why the Greeks and Romans used these vessels that have nothing to stand on. Then I saw an old BBC show: "Secrets of the Dead" about a sunken ship caused by the breaking of amphorae.

The new amphorae will be of course made of plastic and stack well in storage places, but also be able to easily stand alone, and with a simple tripod amphorae holder, one supplied with each 6 pack, its ready to go.
-- pashute, Nov 25 2012

Amphorae sink ship http://www.youtube....watch?v=C1HBR0IbcmM
[pashute, Nov 25 2012]

Amphoras program in the news http://www.youtube....watch?v=HRP9xErCiiw
Google Captions: Drones drop amphoras, kill civilians and raindeer [pashute, Nov 28 2012]

If some jars wreck your boat,
and cause it to not float,
that's amphorae.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Nov 25 2012


Nowadays we use a more space-efficient method: cardboard boxes with plastic liners: mmm, Chateau Walmart.
-- FlyingToaster, Nov 25 2012


party poppers!
-- pashute, Nov 26 2012


Nice, 2 fries :)
-- phundug, Nov 26 2012


// stack well in storage places, but also be able to easily stand alone, //

How are these things accomplished?

I'm not watching a 53 minute vid to find out whatever it's supposed to teach me, though it might be interesting sometime.

I've a glass amphora on my desk here, and it is on its side. It had a stand, but it wasn't worth keeping. If the re-designed amphorae can stand up, what's the tripod for?

I thought the pointy bottoms were for packing them in sand, or something like that.
-- baconbrain, Nov 26 2012


//that's amphorae.//

Bravo!
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 26 2012


//I thought the pointy bottoms were for packing them in sand//

You're thinking of Beach Volleyball players.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 26 2012


[10:57] pulling it up. [12:00] detecting this amphora. [12:58] explaining what it is (1 minute animation and narration)

[40:11] Why did they (5 ships) perish so close to the harbor? [40:31] ... then went down as a whole? It may be Ventoteni itself is to blame for this strange occurance... (Aaron explains the amphora theory with an Italian accent)

[41:11] Amphora animation with dramatic music and back to the dramatic narration. (till [41:50])
-- pashute, Nov 26 2012


Thanks, [pashute].
-- baconbrain, Nov 27 2012


That is, quite possibly, the worst-scanning line I have ever read.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 27 2012


When your team seems to dig, but come up with a big fat Amphora...

[10:57] Piano! ...Piano! Piano! ... ... Bravo!!

-- Just quoting one of things I liked about the video.
-- pashute, Nov 28 2012


Amphorae finally reached the news. See new link.
-- pashute, Nov 29 2012



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