A tall clay jar from the ancient world, with a narrow neck, a handle on each side, and usually a pointed bottom rather than a flat one. It was the shipping box of its time: Greeks and Romans filled amphoras with wine, olive oil, fish sauce, or grain and packed them upright in sand or in racks on ships.

A tall clay jar from the ancient world一個來自古代的高陶罐, with a narrow neck有窄窄的瓶頸, a handle on each side兩邊各有一個把手, and usually a pointed bottom rather than a flat one而且底部通常是尖的而不是平的. It was the shipping box of its time它是那個時代的貨運箱: Greeks and Romans filled amphoras希臘人和羅馬人把雙耳瓶裝滿 with wine, olive oil, fish sauce, or grain酒、橄欖油、魚醬或穀物 and packed them upright然後把它們直立擺放 in sand or in racks on ships放在船上的沙裡或架子上.

The pointed base was not a mistake — it let two people lift and pour the jar easily and let it sit firmly in soft ground. Because fired clay lasts almost forever, broken amphoras are everywhere on the sea floor, and divers and archaeologists use them to trace old trade routes.

The pointed base was not a mistake尖底並不是設計失誤 — it let two people lift and pour the jar easily它讓兩個人可以輕鬆抬起和倒出罐子裡的東西 and let it sit firmly in soft ground也能讓它穩穩插在鬆軟的地面上. Because fired clay lasts almost forever因為燒過的陶土幾乎可以保存永遠, broken amphoras are everywhere on the sea floor破碎的雙耳瓶在海床上到處都是, and divers and archaeologists use them而潛水員和考古學家會利用它們 to trace old trade routes來追溯古代的貿易路線.

The word is almost always about the ancient object, so you meet it in museums, history books, and diving stories rather than in daily talk. The plural is 'amphorae' (say it AM-fo-ree) in careful writing, but 'amphoras' is also accepted.

The word is almost always about the ancient object這個字幾乎都是在指這個古代的物品, so you meet it所以你會在 in museums, history books, and diving stories博物館、歷史書和潛水故事裡遇到它 rather than in daily talk而不是在日常對話裡. The plural is 'amphorae'複數是 amphorae (say it AM-fo-ree)（唸作 AM-fo-ree） in careful writing在講究的寫作裡, but 'amphoras' is also accepted不過 amphoras 也是可以接受的.