Amphorae were used in the ancient world as a form of packaging to store and transport foodstuffs, including wheat, wine, oil and salted meat and fish. The pointed base meant that they could be stuck in the ground and made it easier to store them in ships' holds. The handles at the side enabled ropes and hooks to be used to handle and move them. It usually takes two people to raise an amphora because they can exceed 50 kg in weight. An amphora dating from the 1st century BC weighing 25 to 26 kg has a capacity of 26 litres. The proportion of size to volume improved over time, to the extent that a 4th-century amphora weighing 15 kg can hold 45 litres.