| Summary: | Being the most significant evidence of ancient trade, the amphoras were stamped on their handles from the beginnining of the Classical Period by some of the producer cities sistematically. The stamped handles found in the excavations give clues, firstly, the origin of the amphora itself. This feature appearently points out the commercial relation of the city where it was found and the city where it was produced in. On the other hand, the quantity of stamped handles give information about the quality and capacity of trade in different periods. As their being an epigraphical material and having important dating criteria, they permit to date other material in the contexts where they have been recorded. Besides all above mentioned characteristics of the stamps, according to the sectors in the ancient city where they have been found, they can give important information on the origin and social position of the people, the density of population at certain periods, the direction of the cities’ expansion and the period of utilization and relocalisation of the cities. The stamped amphora handles found in the rescue excavations made by CEAlex in the capital of Ptolemies, Alexandria (in Egypt), both in the city and its necropolis, the excavations in its nearby city on the west, Taposiris Magna and on the Nelson island, situated in the east of Alexandria, have given important results on different subjects mentioned above.
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