Mortarium

"mortaria") was one of a class of Ancient Roman pottery kitchen vessels.

[1] Stamps on some early Roman mortaria record the name of the potter, from which it is possible to trace their movement between workshops.

[2] Some vessels produced in Italy and Gaul are transported long distances but local factories dominate at most periods.

[4] Many fancy red mortaria had a small hole near the top to allow the discharge of liquids, which was artistically made to appear as the mouth of a lion, mouse, or bat.

The English word mortar derives from classical Latin mortarium, possibly with some influence from the French mortier.