Taken from source:

Sherds from a samian bowl were located during excavations undertaken by Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit at Albany Place, Dover in 1990-91.The first sherd of the bowl recovered has an ovolo, a sphinx in a small medallion, a warrior and a astragalus and the second has the ovolo, a beaded border and its terminal a figure of Venus and a panther. Small leaf tips are impressed in the background. In addition to the moulded decoration an erect phallus has been incised into the plain band below the rim.

As the surface slip lies over this graffito, it must have been scratched on during manufacture. The Phallus was a popular symbol in the Roman world, perceived as bringing good luck and averting evil, and it may well have been incised on the pot to protect the kiln load during firing. (1)

<1> Council for Kentish Archaeology, 1999, Kent Archaeological Review; Dover Samian Bowl. Vol. 137 (Article in serial). SKE31759.