I graduated from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich Switzerland, where I specialized in Inorganic Chemistry. I went on to complete a PhD in Archaeology at the University of Sheffield, UK, in collaboration with NCSR Demokritos, Greece. In the framework of my thesis on the technology of Bronze Age cooking pots from Akrotiri, I examined the influence of technological choices in manufacture on mechanical and thermal material properties of clay-based ceramics. Besides analyzing archaeological ceramics, I also carried out experimental work at the Institute of Materials Science of the National Center for Scientific Research Demokritos, in Athens, Greece. After Postdoctoral positions in Nicosia, Cyprus and Barcelona, Spain, I returned to Greece and the NCSR Demokritos as a Postdoctoral Fellow to continue research on mechanical and thermal properties of archaeological ceramics. Currently I am Scientific Research Officer at the Fitch Laboratory of the British School at Athens, where I am in charge of the chemical analysis unit. I am interested in applying analytical methods to investigate inorganic archaeological artefacts and materials, focusing on the study of provenance and technology and with a special interest in archaeological ceramics. My research also examines the affordance of utilitarian ceramics, focusing on cooking vessels, using material testing to explore the influence of technological choices in manufacture on mechanical and thermal properties. . Phone: +302111022832 Address: Fitch Laboratory
British School at Athens
52, Souedias Street
10676 Athens
Greece
This paper presents the results of a multipronged approach to the study of the Hellenistic and Ea... more This paper presents the results of a multipronged approach to the study of the Hellenistic and Early Roman ceramic oil lamps excavated at the Agora of Nea Paphos in Cyprus. The assemblage was studied macroscopically, and selected samples were analysed through WD-XRF spectroscopy and thin section petrography, combined with refiring tests. The integrated results revealed that local production changed through time in terms of lamp shapes, manufacturing techniques and clay recipes, while imported lamps originated from a range of sources. The transformations seen in the local production correlate with changes in the origin of imported lamp supply and the impact of other centres on the local lamp manufacture. These patterns in production and supply could be most likely associated with political transformations and urban development.
Roman metalworking crucibles are frequently characterised by an extra outer layer (EOL) of clay, ... more Roman metalworking crucibles are frequently characterised by an extra outer layer (EOL) of clay, applied to a pre‐formed vessel. Three‐point bending and standardised dead‐weight loading tests were conducted to determine the advantages offered by the EOL. Deformation and fracture behaviour, at temperatures up to 1,100°C, of two‐layer, monolithic, and tempered‐monolithic briquettes were compared. Measurements indicate that the two‐layer briquettes are more resistant to fracture at high‐temperatures: above 850°C they show more extensive plastically deformed regions than monolithic briquettes. The influence of temper is consistent with previous results: tempering causes quasi‐stable fracture and reduced fracture strength. Results suggest EOLs assisted in preventing catastrophic failure.
The current paper contributes new evidence to the ongoing discussion of the location and organisa... more The current paper contributes new evidence to the ongoing discussion of the location and organisation of production of Hellenistic colour-coated ware (CCW), through interdisciplinary investigation of morphological style, technology and provenance of relevant pottery from a Late Hellenistic deposit found in a well in the Agora of Nea Paphos on Cyprus. Through naked eye examination, four major macroscopic groups were identified based on vessel typology and fabrics. Subsequently, 53 representative samples were selected and analysed through a combination of refiring tests, chemical analysis, thin section petrography and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that the sheer majority of this pottery, despite some compositional and technological variability, reflects the use of similar raw materials compatible with the geology of Paphos. Therefore, during the Late Hellenistic period, most of the CCW consumed in Paphos were locally produced. The observed variation in the assemblage can be associated with several factors, such as natural diversity of raw materials, a number of co-existing pottery workshops, technological choices made by the potters and to a lesser extent post-depositional processes. This integrated research has a profound impact on studies of production and consumption of the Late Hellenistic pottery on Cyprus.
Colour-coated ware (CCW) comprises the dominant type of Hellenistic fine ware pottery unearthed d... more Colour-coated ware (CCW) comprises the dominant type of Hellenistic fine ware pottery unearthed during the excavations in Nea Paphos. The detailed and systematic macroscopic examination of this pottery, focusing on typology and fabric, identified a number of macroscopic groups (MG). A total of 164 samples were subsequently selected for further testing and characterisation of these groups, in terms of composition and technology, through a combination of macroscopic examination, refiring tests, chemical and petrographic analyses, and scanning electron microscopy. This paper focuses on two of these MGs (35 samples), addressing the question of their provenance and manufacturing technology. These two groups are typologically and stylistically associated, and very distinctive due to the macroscopic appearance of their fabric, frequent occurrence and confined chronology. The integrated macroscopic and scientific study demonstrated that all 35 samples, representative of these two MGs, form a single compositional cluster. This - together with the typological and stylistic homogeneity observed, indicates a common origin for these samples. These vessels were produced using a similar clay paste; however, the firing regimes and the surface treatments employed show some variation. The place of production of this group still remains unknown, but their distribution suggests that they were produced somewhere on Cyprus or in the Levant.
A B S T R A C T The performance of WD-XRF and NAA setups has been examined by comparing compositi... more A B S T R A C T The performance of WD-XRF and NAA setups has been examined by comparing compositional data obtained by the two methods on 36 clay samples collected in Central and Eastern Crete. While the two methods determine a different range of elements – 26 are determined by WD-XRF, 27 by NAA, of which 15 are measured with both methods – with different precisions, a similar grouping, and level of resolution when examining the same set of clays could be achieved using WD-XRF data in comparison with NAA data. These results highlight the WD-XRF routine's potential of discrimination even in regions which have proved to be challenging for provenance studies in the past.
in: Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 21, 983-994.
Eretria, in the centre of the Aegean... more in: Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 21, 983-994.
Eretria, in the centre of the Aegean (Greece), has been the focus of an interdisciplinary programme that combines macroscopic, petrographic and elemental analysis in a diachronic investigation of pottery production and supply on the site from the early third millennium (Early Bronze Age) to the end of the first millennium BCE (Hellenistic period). This paper reviews the preliminary results of the analyses of the pottery of historical times, mainly from the Geometric to the Hellenistic periods (phase II of the Eretria pottery project). It presents the compositional and technological characteristics of the local fabrics and offers examples of how continuity and innovation characterise different aspects of Eretria's pottery production. In addition, different categories of imported vessels that arrived in Eretria are investigated in order to recognize the origin of these specific products.
in: B. Horejs & E. Alram-Stern (eds.), Pottery Technologies and Sociocultural Connections betwee... more in: B. Horejs & E. Alram-Stern (eds.), Pottery Technologies and Sociocultural Connections between the Aegean and Anatolia during the 3rd Millennium BC, Vienna, 197-213.
Central Euboea is a key area in archaeological discussions addressing issues of connectivity and cultural transmission between the Aegean and Anatolia in the third millennium BC, mainly during the Early Helladic (EH) II. Excavations at Eretria have recovered significant amounts of EH II–III pottery from levels underlying Classical-Hellenistic buildings. In spite of its fragmentary condition this material deserves special attention as it provides an interesting data set to complement the Lefkandi I–III pottery and it offers a rare insight into the EH III period in Euboea. The majority of the EH II pottery belongs to the second part of the period (EH IIB) and displays both continental (mainly sauceboats, saucers and askoi) and Anatolianising shapes (plates, bell-shaped cups, tankards, beaked jugs). EH III is marked by the appearance of grey ware and a new shape repertoire with the predominance of Bass Bowls, tankards and wide-mouthed jars. This paper aims at presenting an overview of the pottery groups based on a detailed macroscopic study combined with petrographic and chemical analyses using wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF). The main objective is to characterise, both compositionally and technologically, local products at Eretria and to follow transformations in local supply and production through time, shedding light on Eretria’s role in local and regional networks during the third millennium BC. The results show that both fine and coarse EH II and EH III local wares are made with the same fabrics, despite evident changes through time in terms of shaping, surface treatment and firing, leading to the conclusion that both continuity and innovation characterise different aspects of their production. Interestingly, the Anatolianising fine ware of late EH II is made of local clay, while some typical central Aegean vessels such as sauceboats appear to be non-local. Furthermore, a significant part of the EH II coarse ware is imported from the western Cyclades or South Euboea, unlike the EH III coarse ware which is almost exclusively local.
Digital pasts for the present - Proceedings 2nd Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology Greek Chapter (CAA-GR), 2017
In the present paper, a modelling approach for assessing ancient kiln designs is introduced and d... more In the present paper, a modelling approach for assessing ancient kiln designs is introduced and demonstrated. 3D models of updraft kilns are created based on archaeological examples and the temperature distribution inside the kiln is evaluated by fluent modelling using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Following the actual kiln design the interior is divided in two cell zones, stoking chamber and ware chamber. The two zones are meshed and floor and walls are defined as boundary conditions for fluid/solid heat transfer. Air enters the stoking chamber through a velocity inlet and heat energy is generated with the wood partially filling up the space. A chimney at the top of the ware chamber is serving as pressure outlet. Calculations using a steady-state solution provide information about energy requirements as well as the temperature distribution within the kiln, indicating the crucial impact of the arrangement of the pottery inside the ware chamber.
in: J. Strauss Clay, I. Malkin & Y. Tzifopoulos (eds.), Panhellenes at Methone: Graphê in Late Ge... more in: J. Strauss Clay, I. Malkin & Y. Tzifopoulos (eds.), Panhellenes at Methone: Graphê in Late Geometric and Protoarchaic Methone, Macedonia (ca 700 BCE), Berlin/Boston, 2017, 9-19.
in: S. Handberg & A. Gadolou (eds.), Material Koinai in the Greek Early Iron Age and Archaic Peri... more in: S. Handberg & A. Gadolou (eds.), Material Koinai in the Greek Early Iron Age and Archaic Period, (Monographs of the Danish Institute at Athens 22, Aarhus, 109-32.
Bronze tripod cauldrons were one of the most prestigious types of objects in Greece during the Ea... more Bronze tripod cauldrons were one of the most prestigious types of objects in Greece during the Early Iron Age (EIA). Because of its character as an exchange object with a value easy to assess, the tripod became an attribute used in the communication of personal status. Consequently, the distribution of archaeologically recovered tripods can be used to identify hotspots of elitist interaction. Fortunately, quite a lot of the extant tripod fragments have a clay core and/or show preserved residues of the casting molds on their surface. In our pilot study with 61 samples from Olympia and five samples from Kalapodi, it is shown that neutron activation analysis (NAA) allows a coherent internal chemical grouping of the clay pastes used in the ancient casting workshops. Furthermore, comparative material from workshop debris and also geological samples allow a geographical localization of many of the chemical groups. In general terms, NAA therefore seems to be an effective method to define production sites of artifacts cast in the lost wax technique. In the case of EIAtripods, sites and travel routes of workshops can be traced as well as travelroutes of clients. This provides new hard data for modeling both the politicaland the economic structures of EIA Greece.
The Oxford Handbook of Archaeological Ceramic Analysis, 2017
This chapter provides an introduction to mechanical and thermal properties of archaeological cera... more This chapter provides an introduction to mechanical and thermal properties of archaeological ceramics, which are of importance for a ceramic’s affordances and affect its suitability to be used in different activities. An overview of thermal and mechanical properties, namely fracture strength and fracture energy (toughness), thermal shock resistance and thermal conductivity, is provided, outlining the underlying principles of these properties and test methods typically used to measure them. Emphasizing the importance of potter’s choices during manufacture on the finished products’ material properties, the influence of different manufacturing parameters, in particular firing and tempering strategies, is discussed and underlying principles and mechanisms, which are applicable to a wide variety of commonly encountered archaeological ceramics, are elucidated.
Elemental analysis of ancient ceramics is primarily used in provenance research, where defined co... more Elemental analysis of ancient ceramics is primarily used in provenance research, where defined compositional groups are attributed to particular raw materials sources or production locations. Requirements in data quality and analytical performance are high, as is the need for clear and reproducible methodologies and the availability of information on the above to ensure interlaboratory comparability and long-term data validity. This paper outlines the measurement parameters of a dedicated calibration setup for the analysis of ancient ceramics using wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The specimens are prepared as concentrated glass beads, allowing the measurement of 26 elements from a single sample, thus minimising sample size requirements. Certified and non-commercial standards are used to evaluate the performance of the method in terms of detection limits, precision, repeatability and accuracy. The materials used cover a range of compositions in line with the matrix variability encountered in archaeological ceramics. The data confirm the high standard of the method and highlight specific limitations. An initial assessment of comparability with other setups used in ceramic analyses, primarily neutron activation analysis, is given through a discussion of performance on commonly analysed materials. The advantages of the proposed method include excellent analytical performance, analysis of a large suite of elements including all major, minor and a good range of traces, relatively small sample sizes and preparation of samples that can be stored and reanalysed. Copyright
Eretria, an important ancient Greek polis with a rich Bronze Age past, was among the first coloni... more Eretria, an important ancient Greek polis with a rich Bronze Age past, was among the first colonial and commercial powers in the ancient world that founded already in the 8th c. BC a number of colonies and trading posts across the Aegean and the Mediterranean. In the context of a diachronic investigation of Eretrian pottery production and supply from the Early Bronze Age to the Roman period, a large number of pottery samples and geological materials have been analysed. The current article summarises the results of the analyses of the Bronze Age pottery from the site, comprising 151 pottery samples carefully selected from stratified deposits, which have been examined through petrographic and chemical (WD-XRF) analyses and compared to geological materials and experimental ceramic briquettes. Overall, the current evidence for local pottery production indicates that during the third and the early second millennia BC no dramatic change occurred in the exploitation of raw materials in Eretria for pottery production, in spite of conspicuous stylistic and technological transformations. The first possible change in raw material sources, which occurs in the Middle Helladic period and affects coarse wares only, corresponds with a major break in the site occupation. Unlike local products, most imported fabrics do not show continuity through time, indicating changes in the direction of external relationships in Eretria.
The present paper reports results of an integrated study of a selection of pottery recovered from... more The present paper reports results of an integrated study of a selection of pottery recovered fromthe altar of Zeus, Mount Lykaion, Arcadia, in the Peloponnese, Greece, dating from the Neolithic to the Early Iron Age. A multianalytical approach based on petrographic and chemical analysis, supported by refiring tests and geological sampling, has been employed to tackle issues of technology and provenance. Results shed light on patterns of raw material sources exploitation and pottery production and supply at the site over time.
This work considers technological choices in the manufacture of utilitarian archaeological cerami... more This work considers technological choices in the manufacture of utilitarian archaeological ceramics, in view of their role in the ceramics' physical properties and affordances. In this paper we present results of an experimental study which examined the influence of processing parameters on mechanical properties of clay-based ceramics. The influence of firing temperature, amount and grain size of aplastic inclusions on a ceramic's response to dynamic loads were determined experimentally, taking into consideration how this compares to the materials' response to static loads. Results show that the fracture strength under quasi-static loading increases with increasing vitrification and decreases with increasing amounts and size of aplastic inclusions. In contrast, while the presence of aplastic inclusions does reduce impact resistance, the amount and grain size of aplastic inclusions do not seem to play a significant role, both in terms of a ceramic's impact strength and fracture energy. This highlights the importance of considering the likely sources of mechanical stresses when assessing the affordances of a ceramic vessel.
Keywords
This paper presents the results of a multipronged approach to the study of the Hellenistic and Ea... more This paper presents the results of a multipronged approach to the study of the Hellenistic and Early Roman ceramic oil lamps excavated at the Agora of Nea Paphos in Cyprus. The assemblage was studied macroscopically, and selected samples were analysed through WD-XRF spectroscopy and thin section petrography, combined with refiring tests. The integrated results revealed that local production changed through time in terms of lamp shapes, manufacturing techniques and clay recipes, while imported lamps originated from a range of sources. The transformations seen in the local production correlate with changes in the origin of imported lamp supply and the impact of other centres on the local lamp manufacture. These patterns in production and supply could be most likely associated with political transformations and urban development.
Roman metalworking crucibles are frequently characterised by an extra outer layer (EOL) of clay, ... more Roman metalworking crucibles are frequently characterised by an extra outer layer (EOL) of clay, applied to a pre‐formed vessel. Three‐point bending and standardised dead‐weight loading tests were conducted to determine the advantages offered by the EOL. Deformation and fracture behaviour, at temperatures up to 1,100°C, of two‐layer, monolithic, and tempered‐monolithic briquettes were compared. Measurements indicate that the two‐layer briquettes are more resistant to fracture at high‐temperatures: above 850°C they show more extensive plastically deformed regions than monolithic briquettes. The influence of temper is consistent with previous results: tempering causes quasi‐stable fracture and reduced fracture strength. Results suggest EOLs assisted in preventing catastrophic failure.
The current paper contributes new evidence to the ongoing discussion of the location and organisa... more The current paper contributes new evidence to the ongoing discussion of the location and organisation of production of Hellenistic colour-coated ware (CCW), through interdisciplinary investigation of morphological style, technology and provenance of relevant pottery from a Late Hellenistic deposit found in a well in the Agora of Nea Paphos on Cyprus. Through naked eye examination, four major macroscopic groups were identified based on vessel typology and fabrics. Subsequently, 53 representative samples were selected and analysed through a combination of refiring tests, chemical analysis, thin section petrography and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that the sheer majority of this pottery, despite some compositional and technological variability, reflects the use of similar raw materials compatible with the geology of Paphos. Therefore, during the Late Hellenistic period, most of the CCW consumed in Paphos were locally produced. The observed variation in the assemblage can be associated with several factors, such as natural diversity of raw materials, a number of co-existing pottery workshops, technological choices made by the potters and to a lesser extent post-depositional processes. This integrated research has a profound impact on studies of production and consumption of the Late Hellenistic pottery on Cyprus.
Colour-coated ware (CCW) comprises the dominant type of Hellenistic fine ware pottery unearthed d... more Colour-coated ware (CCW) comprises the dominant type of Hellenistic fine ware pottery unearthed during the excavations in Nea Paphos. The detailed and systematic macroscopic examination of this pottery, focusing on typology and fabric, identified a number of macroscopic groups (MG). A total of 164 samples were subsequently selected for further testing and characterisation of these groups, in terms of composition and technology, through a combination of macroscopic examination, refiring tests, chemical and petrographic analyses, and scanning electron microscopy. This paper focuses on two of these MGs (35 samples), addressing the question of their provenance and manufacturing technology. These two groups are typologically and stylistically associated, and very distinctive due to the macroscopic appearance of their fabric, frequent occurrence and confined chronology. The integrated macroscopic and scientific study demonstrated that all 35 samples, representative of these two MGs, form a single compositional cluster. This - together with the typological and stylistic homogeneity observed, indicates a common origin for these samples. These vessels were produced using a similar clay paste; however, the firing regimes and the surface treatments employed show some variation. The place of production of this group still remains unknown, but their distribution suggests that they were produced somewhere on Cyprus or in the Levant.
A B S T R A C T The performance of WD-XRF and NAA setups has been examined by comparing compositi... more A B S T R A C T The performance of WD-XRF and NAA setups has been examined by comparing compositional data obtained by the two methods on 36 clay samples collected in Central and Eastern Crete. While the two methods determine a different range of elements – 26 are determined by WD-XRF, 27 by NAA, of which 15 are measured with both methods – with different precisions, a similar grouping, and level of resolution when examining the same set of clays could be achieved using WD-XRF data in comparison with NAA data. These results highlight the WD-XRF routine's potential of discrimination even in regions which have proved to be challenging for provenance studies in the past.
in: Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 21, 983-994.
Eretria, in the centre of the Aegean... more in: Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 21, 983-994.
Eretria, in the centre of the Aegean (Greece), has been the focus of an interdisciplinary programme that combines macroscopic, petrographic and elemental analysis in a diachronic investigation of pottery production and supply on the site from the early third millennium (Early Bronze Age) to the end of the first millennium BCE (Hellenistic period). This paper reviews the preliminary results of the analyses of the pottery of historical times, mainly from the Geometric to the Hellenistic periods (phase II of the Eretria pottery project). It presents the compositional and technological characteristics of the local fabrics and offers examples of how continuity and innovation characterise different aspects of Eretria's pottery production. In addition, different categories of imported vessels that arrived in Eretria are investigated in order to recognize the origin of these specific products.
in: B. Horejs & E. Alram-Stern (eds.), Pottery Technologies and Sociocultural Connections betwee... more in: B. Horejs & E. Alram-Stern (eds.), Pottery Technologies and Sociocultural Connections between the Aegean and Anatolia during the 3rd Millennium BC, Vienna, 197-213.
Central Euboea is a key area in archaeological discussions addressing issues of connectivity and cultural transmission between the Aegean and Anatolia in the third millennium BC, mainly during the Early Helladic (EH) II. Excavations at Eretria have recovered significant amounts of EH II–III pottery from levels underlying Classical-Hellenistic buildings. In spite of its fragmentary condition this material deserves special attention as it provides an interesting data set to complement the Lefkandi I–III pottery and it offers a rare insight into the EH III period in Euboea. The majority of the EH II pottery belongs to the second part of the period (EH IIB) and displays both continental (mainly sauceboats, saucers and askoi) and Anatolianising shapes (plates, bell-shaped cups, tankards, beaked jugs). EH III is marked by the appearance of grey ware and a new shape repertoire with the predominance of Bass Bowls, tankards and wide-mouthed jars. This paper aims at presenting an overview of the pottery groups based on a detailed macroscopic study combined with petrographic and chemical analyses using wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF). The main objective is to characterise, both compositionally and technologically, local products at Eretria and to follow transformations in local supply and production through time, shedding light on Eretria’s role in local and regional networks during the third millennium BC. The results show that both fine and coarse EH II and EH III local wares are made with the same fabrics, despite evident changes through time in terms of shaping, surface treatment and firing, leading to the conclusion that both continuity and innovation characterise different aspects of their production. Interestingly, the Anatolianising fine ware of late EH II is made of local clay, while some typical central Aegean vessels such as sauceboats appear to be non-local. Furthermore, a significant part of the EH II coarse ware is imported from the western Cyclades or South Euboea, unlike the EH III coarse ware which is almost exclusively local.
Digital pasts for the present - Proceedings 2nd Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology Greek Chapter (CAA-GR), 2017
In the present paper, a modelling approach for assessing ancient kiln designs is introduced and d... more In the present paper, a modelling approach for assessing ancient kiln designs is introduced and demonstrated. 3D models of updraft kilns are created based on archaeological examples and the temperature distribution inside the kiln is evaluated by fluent modelling using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Following the actual kiln design the interior is divided in two cell zones, stoking chamber and ware chamber. The two zones are meshed and floor and walls are defined as boundary conditions for fluid/solid heat transfer. Air enters the stoking chamber through a velocity inlet and heat energy is generated with the wood partially filling up the space. A chimney at the top of the ware chamber is serving as pressure outlet. Calculations using a steady-state solution provide information about energy requirements as well as the temperature distribution within the kiln, indicating the crucial impact of the arrangement of the pottery inside the ware chamber.
in: J. Strauss Clay, I. Malkin & Y. Tzifopoulos (eds.), Panhellenes at Methone: Graphê in Late Ge... more in: J. Strauss Clay, I. Malkin & Y. Tzifopoulos (eds.), Panhellenes at Methone: Graphê in Late Geometric and Protoarchaic Methone, Macedonia (ca 700 BCE), Berlin/Boston, 2017, 9-19.
in: S. Handberg & A. Gadolou (eds.), Material Koinai in the Greek Early Iron Age and Archaic Peri... more in: S. Handberg & A. Gadolou (eds.), Material Koinai in the Greek Early Iron Age and Archaic Period, (Monographs of the Danish Institute at Athens 22, Aarhus, 109-32.
Bronze tripod cauldrons were one of the most prestigious types of objects in Greece during the Ea... more Bronze tripod cauldrons were one of the most prestigious types of objects in Greece during the Early Iron Age (EIA). Because of its character as an exchange object with a value easy to assess, the tripod became an attribute used in the communication of personal status. Consequently, the distribution of archaeologically recovered tripods can be used to identify hotspots of elitist interaction. Fortunately, quite a lot of the extant tripod fragments have a clay core and/or show preserved residues of the casting molds on their surface. In our pilot study with 61 samples from Olympia and five samples from Kalapodi, it is shown that neutron activation analysis (NAA) allows a coherent internal chemical grouping of the clay pastes used in the ancient casting workshops. Furthermore, comparative material from workshop debris and also geological samples allow a geographical localization of many of the chemical groups. In general terms, NAA therefore seems to be an effective method to define production sites of artifacts cast in the lost wax technique. In the case of EIAtripods, sites and travel routes of workshops can be traced as well as travelroutes of clients. This provides new hard data for modeling both the politicaland the economic structures of EIA Greece.
The Oxford Handbook of Archaeological Ceramic Analysis, 2017
This chapter provides an introduction to mechanical and thermal properties of archaeological cera... more This chapter provides an introduction to mechanical and thermal properties of archaeological ceramics, which are of importance for a ceramic’s affordances and affect its suitability to be used in different activities. An overview of thermal and mechanical properties, namely fracture strength and fracture energy (toughness), thermal shock resistance and thermal conductivity, is provided, outlining the underlying principles of these properties and test methods typically used to measure them. Emphasizing the importance of potter’s choices during manufacture on the finished products’ material properties, the influence of different manufacturing parameters, in particular firing and tempering strategies, is discussed and underlying principles and mechanisms, which are applicable to a wide variety of commonly encountered archaeological ceramics, are elucidated.
Elemental analysis of ancient ceramics is primarily used in provenance research, where defined co... more Elemental analysis of ancient ceramics is primarily used in provenance research, where defined compositional groups are attributed to particular raw materials sources or production locations. Requirements in data quality and analytical performance are high, as is the need for clear and reproducible methodologies and the availability of information on the above to ensure interlaboratory comparability and long-term data validity. This paper outlines the measurement parameters of a dedicated calibration setup for the analysis of ancient ceramics using wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The specimens are prepared as concentrated glass beads, allowing the measurement of 26 elements from a single sample, thus minimising sample size requirements. Certified and non-commercial standards are used to evaluate the performance of the method in terms of detection limits, precision, repeatability and accuracy. The materials used cover a range of compositions in line with the matrix variability encountered in archaeological ceramics. The data confirm the high standard of the method and highlight specific limitations. An initial assessment of comparability with other setups used in ceramic analyses, primarily neutron activation analysis, is given through a discussion of performance on commonly analysed materials. The advantages of the proposed method include excellent analytical performance, analysis of a large suite of elements including all major, minor and a good range of traces, relatively small sample sizes and preparation of samples that can be stored and reanalysed. Copyright
Eretria, an important ancient Greek polis with a rich Bronze Age past, was among the first coloni... more Eretria, an important ancient Greek polis with a rich Bronze Age past, was among the first colonial and commercial powers in the ancient world that founded already in the 8th c. BC a number of colonies and trading posts across the Aegean and the Mediterranean. In the context of a diachronic investigation of Eretrian pottery production and supply from the Early Bronze Age to the Roman period, a large number of pottery samples and geological materials have been analysed. The current article summarises the results of the analyses of the Bronze Age pottery from the site, comprising 151 pottery samples carefully selected from stratified deposits, which have been examined through petrographic and chemical (WD-XRF) analyses and compared to geological materials and experimental ceramic briquettes. Overall, the current evidence for local pottery production indicates that during the third and the early second millennia BC no dramatic change occurred in the exploitation of raw materials in Eretria for pottery production, in spite of conspicuous stylistic and technological transformations. The first possible change in raw material sources, which occurs in the Middle Helladic period and affects coarse wares only, corresponds with a major break in the site occupation. Unlike local products, most imported fabrics do not show continuity through time, indicating changes in the direction of external relationships in Eretria.
The present paper reports results of an integrated study of a selection of pottery recovered from... more The present paper reports results of an integrated study of a selection of pottery recovered fromthe altar of Zeus, Mount Lykaion, Arcadia, in the Peloponnese, Greece, dating from the Neolithic to the Early Iron Age. A multianalytical approach based on petrographic and chemical analysis, supported by refiring tests and geological sampling, has been employed to tackle issues of technology and provenance. Results shed light on patterns of raw material sources exploitation and pottery production and supply at the site over time.
This work considers technological choices in the manufacture of utilitarian archaeological cerami... more This work considers technological choices in the manufacture of utilitarian archaeological ceramics, in view of their role in the ceramics' physical properties and affordances. In this paper we present results of an experimental study which examined the influence of processing parameters on mechanical properties of clay-based ceramics. The influence of firing temperature, amount and grain size of aplastic inclusions on a ceramic's response to dynamic loads were determined experimentally, taking into consideration how this compares to the materials' response to static loads. Results show that the fracture strength under quasi-static loading increases with increasing vitrification and decreases with increasing amounts and size of aplastic inclusions. In contrast, while the presence of aplastic inclusions does reduce impact resistance, the amount and grain size of aplastic inclusions do not seem to play a significant role, both in terms of a ceramic's impact strength and fracture energy. This highlights the importance of considering the likely sources of mechanical stresses when assessing the affordances of a ceramic vessel.
Keywords
Conférence de l’Association pour l’Etude des Céramiques Médiévales et Modernes en Méditerranée, 2018
This paper provides insights into commercial, artistic and techno-social interactions during the ... more This paper provides insights into commercial, artistic and techno-social interactions during the 14th century, a period of Mediterranean History that is mostly defined by social crises, political instability and conflicts, particularly in Greece. We tackle this question through an integrative study of provenance and technology of sgraffito tablewares, a sophisticated item of material culture that became widely distributed within and beyond the Byzantine world in late medieval times. The focus is on 155 fragments found at Thebes and Corinth, two strategic centers of international commerce and political organization in mainland Greece. We combine archaeological and stylistic approaches with mineralogical, chemical and textural analyses of the ceramic bodies, slips and glazes. The goal is to assess complexity, diversity and overlaps in pottery trade networks, spheres of artistic influences, and corridors of technological transfers, each of which results from a specific type of interaction between peoples during this politically unstable period.
International Symposium in Archaeometry - ISA, 2018
The Fourth Crusade (1204 AD) brought about significant disruptions across the Byzantine Empire. I... more The Fourth Crusade (1204 AD) brought about significant disruptions across the Byzantine Empire. In Greece, the arrival of Frankish lords and Italian rulers contributed to shape new demands for a variety of goods and commodities. This eventually led to cross-cultural adaptations of culinary traditions, dining practices and artistic tastes. The development of new pan-Mediterranean networks of commercial and artistic exchanges is notably documented by the widespread diffusion of glazed tablewares in the Late Byzantine “Zeuxippus Ware class I” across Turkey, Greece and northern Italy. It remains unclear, however, whether these exchanges were purely commercial and artistic in nature, or also involved some technological transfers and thus some learning and regular contacts between producers. This paper aims to shed light on this question through a combined analysis of style, provenance, production and decoration techniques of 25 glazed bowls with incised patterns and yellow glaze, including 18 samples of Zeuxippus wares. The archaeometric methods involved are petrography, WD-XRF and SEM-EDS. The material under study is dated to the 14th century and comes from stratified contexts at the city of Corinth, then under Florentine rule, and from the Frankish-controlled city of Thebes, which was one of the main economic allies of the Venetian colony of Negroponte in central Greece. Our results provide further evidence for the production of yellow-glazed bowls with incised spiral and concentric circles at Thebes during the 14th century [1]. Corinth received similar productions from Byzantine Anatolia, Byzantine Thrace and the Veneto, but it might not have produced any Zeuxippus ware itself. The Genoese, who were the main rivals of Venice for trade in the East, exported glazed bowls with distinct decoration to the Peloponnese. As for decorative techniques, slipping materials were specific to each region of production, but kaolinitic clays were used in at least three Greek workshops of Byzantine tradition. Several clay selection strategies, pot forming techniques, glazing and colouring methods were shared between Frankish Greek and Venetian workshops. This raises the question of a mobility of craftsmen and provides insights into the complex production and trade strategies of glazed tablewares, which were not only dependent on economic alliances of the time, but also on the access to certain technical knowledge and primary materials for glaze and pigment preparation.
During Early Iron Age large numbers of bronze tripod cauldrons were ritually dedicated at a certa... more During Early Iron Age large numbers of bronze tripod cauldrons were ritually dedicated at a certain range of Greek sanctuaries. While the actual cauldron was commonly hammered from a bronze disc, the three legs and two handles were cast applying the lost wax technique. Particularly at the backsides of tripod leg fragments, at areas out of view and therefore not necessarily completely cleaned by the ancient artisans, small residues of the casting ceramics can be still found adhering to the metal. Furthermore, casting cores are usually still extant. These ceramic residues provide essential information about the casting process. A central question to be addressed is the location and organization of the workshops. While the metals in most cases had to be imported, it can be assumed that for the casting ceramics raw materials from the vicinity of the specific workshop were used. Therefore, it can be expected that the chemical composition of the casting ceramics can be linked to reference data of specific production sites for ceramics in general and of metallurgical workshop debris with pyrotechnical ceramics in particular. Structural examination of ceramic fragments on the other hand provides technological details of the casting process. Recent results of an ongoing project will be presented, including material from Olympia (Elis) and Kalapodi (Phthiotis).
"Recent analyses of ceramic material from Kanakia on the island of Salamis have shown that the en... more "Recent analyses of ceramic material from Kanakia on the island of Salamis have shown that the entirety of the pottery assemblage from the acropolis has been imported. Through a direct comparison of material from excavations at Plaka, part of a larger Mycenaean settlement surrounding the Athenian Acropolis, we were able to discern that much of the Kanakia assemblage likely has an origin within the region of Attica, while the rest appear to have been brought in from Aegina, the Argolid and Corinthia. With none of the pottery assemblage being unequivocally produced on the island, we can suggest that there is some likelihood that Kanakia, with its two natural harbors, may have played a role as a commerce depot within the Saronic Gulf in LHIIIB.
Subsequently, the discovery of a craft production installation at the site of Alimos, just 4 kilometers south of the Athenian Acropolis, has provided a wealth of new evidence, including kiln wasters, suggesting the manufacture of a range of ceramic vessel types similar to those identified to be of an Attic origin. Preliminary examination through thin-section petrography coupled with traditional typological fabric analysis indicates that the pottery produced at Alimos includes specialized vessel types such as fine tablewares, quality cooking vessels and tubs in a range of sizes with a wide distribution of entire assemblages reaching at least as far as Thorikos in southeast Attica, Kanakia in the west and perhaps farther into the Aegean world during the LH IIIB period.
The scope of this paper is to illuminate that the distribution of pottery in Attica and parts of the Saronic Gulf during the LH IIIB period through characterizations of the ceramic material that we have identified to have been manufactured at Alimos through the use of thin-section petrography. Consumption patterns of ceramics in and around the gulf supply new and exciting information that provides key insight about the inter- and intra-regional relationships during a period of prehistory where craft production and distribution is usually considered to have been centrally controlled by local palatial centers. Finally, by concentrating on the production and movement of entire assemblages, we attempt to locate the place of the potter’s craft within the palatially centered Mycenaean society.
"
Proving human mobility in prehistory is not an easy task, since the available archaeological evid... more Proving human mobility in prehistory is not an easy task, since the available archaeological evidence can often be interpreted in a number of different ways. Moreover, tracing peoples’ movement seems to be for a long time out of fashion, at least within the context of Aegean archaeology. Even some of the most unambiguous cases of human mobility have been restudied from the perspective of influence, emulation, and similar processes. We believe that technology is one of the few aspects of human activity that can be used successfully to trace mobility of people, in this case craftsmen, in archaeological contexts. Based on the particular mode of acquisition and spread of technological knowledge in general, we will argue that the presence of particular types of pottery in Lefkandi and Pefkakia, manufactured from local clays but following chaînes opératoires characteristic for non-local pottery traditions, is a strong evidence for movement of potters. The results we would like to present stem from a project entitled ““Potters on the move. Potters’ mobility in Bronze and Early Iron Age Greece as a mechanism of dissemination for ceramic style and technology”.
in: M. Dikomitou-Eliadou & V. Kassianidou (eds.), Interdisciplinary Studies of Ancient Material f... more in: M. Dikomitou-Eliadou & V. Kassianidou (eds.), Interdisciplinary Studies of Ancient Material from the Mediterranean, Journal of Archaeological Science Reports Special Issue, 530-535.
OPEN ACCESS: click on https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aia.2023.05.002. This paper presents the results ... more OPEN ACCESS: click on https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aia.2023.05.002. This paper presents the results of a diachronic and multidisciplinary investigation into the production and consumption of cooking ware in the ancient city of Priene (Turkey). Three major chronological horizons are considered, covering the fourth to the first century BCE: the late Classical/early Hellenistic period, the middle Hellenistic period, and the late Hellenistic/early Roman Imperial period. Following a thorough typological and macroscopic study of fabrics, an integrated analytical approach combining petrography and elemental analysis (wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence) was applied to investigate the main macroscopic types and fabrics that characterised cooking wares. Integration of the results from the typological study with the subsequent analyses of 90 representative samples has provided high-resolution insights into cooking ware production and consumption at Priene over the study period. In addition to tracing transformations in local and regional manufacture over time, the results show that cooking wares were imported to the city from several places and, moreover, at a scale at least equivalent to that for other categories of ceramic vessels at that time. Changes in the manufacturing technology of local and regional products and the origin of imports are discussed in the context of significant historical developments that took place in this region over the period covered by the study.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Jun 1, 2016
Abstract This work considers technological choices in the manufacture of utilitarian archaeologic... more Abstract This work considers technological choices in the manufacture of utilitarian archaeological ceramics, in view of their role in the ceramics' physical properties and affordances. In this paper we present results of an experimental study which examined the influence of processing parameters on mechanical properties of clay-based ceramics. The influence of firing temperature, amount and grain size of aplastic inclusions on a ceramic's response to dynamic loads were determined experimentally, taking into consideration how this compares to the materials' response to static loads. Results show that the fracture strength under quasi-static loading increases with increasing vitrification and decreases with increasing amounts and size of aplastic inclusions. In contrast, while the presence of aplastic inclusions does reduce impact resistance, the amount and grain size of aplastic inclusions do not seem to play a significant role, both in terms of a ceramic's impact strength and fracture energy. This highlights the importance of considering the likely sources of mechanical stresses when assessing the affordances of a ceramic vessel.
in: J. Strauss Clay, I. Malkin & Y. Tzifopoulos (eds.), Panhellenes a... more in: J. Strauss Clay, I. Malkin & Y. Tzifopoulos (eds.), Panhellenes at Methone: Graphê in Late Geometric and Protoarchaic Methone, Macedonia (ca 700 BCE), Berlin/Boston, 2017, 9-19.
HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Oct 21, 2018
This paper provides insights into commercial, artistic and techno-social interactions during the ... more This paper provides insights into commercial, artistic and techno-social interactions during the 14th century, a period of Mediterranean History that is mostly defined by social crises, political instability and conflicts, particularly in Greece. We tackle this question through an integrative study of provenance and technology of sgraffito tablewares, a sophisticated item of material culture that became widely distributed within and beyond the Byzantine world in late medieval times. The focus is on 155 fragments found at Thebes and Corinth, two strategic centers of international commerce and political organization in mainland Greece. We combine archaeological and stylistic approaches with mineralogical, chemical and textural analyses of the ceramic bodies, slips and glazes. The goal is to assess complexity, diversity and overlaps in pottery trade networks, spheres of artistic influences, and corridors of technological transfers, each of which results from a specific type of interaction between peoples during this politically unstable period.
B. Horejs & E. Alram-Stern (eds.), Pottery Technologies and Sociocultural Connections between the Aegean and Anatolia during the 3rd Millennium BC, Vienna, 2018
Sediments from the ST5 deep-sea bottom core collected from the south-east Aegean Sea between Symi... more Sediments from the ST5 deep-sea bottom core collected from the south-east Aegean Sea between Symi and Tilos islands, Greece, were examined by quantitative mineralogical analysis and geochemical analysis to infer provenance and palaeoenvironmental control over sediment deposition. The mineralogical composition comprises carbonates (mainly calcite and Mg-calcite), quartz, feldspars, serpentine, amphibole and clay minerals. Chlorite is the most abundant clay mineral, whereas smectite and illite are less abundant than in the sediments in the south-west Aegean and the Cretan Sea. Semi-quantitative analysis of clay minerals from oriented clay fractions overestimates significantly the smectite content and underestimates the abundances of illite, chlorite and kaolinite. The studied sediments are enriched in MgO, Ni and Cr, which decrease in abundance with decreasing depth, following the distribution of serpentine. By contrast, the abundances of SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, Na2O and K2O increase upco...
Small local production of vessels, mainly amphorae, in the hinterland of Sidon, in a settlement (... more Small local production of vessels, mainly amphorae, in the hinterland of Sidon, in a settlement (Chhim) where olive oil was mass-produced. The walls of kitchen installations, arab. tannur, which were certainly made of local clay, were used to confirm their local provenance. The current paper presents new evidence on pottery production in Chhim, Lebanon/Phoenicia, during the Roman and early Byzantine periods (end of 1st c. BCE-5th c. CE), based on the results of scientific analysis integrated with macroscopic studies. Thirty-three samples of amphorae, common ware and kitchen ovens were selected and analysed through a combination of thin section petrography and elemental analyses. The results suggested that the majority of the analysed pottery, despite some compositional and technological variability, was produced with the use of raw materials similar to those used for the kitchen ovens excavated in the same site and was compatible with the local geology. The observed variation in the assemblage probably indicates that the ancient potters did not make standardised choices concerning raw materials and clay paste preparation techniques. The potentially local pottery production seems to have been related to the olive oil industry, which was operating at the site during the Roman and early Byzantine periods.
The principles governing thermal shock resistance are introduced briefly, followed by the present... more The principles governing thermal shock resistance are introduced briefly, followed by the presentation of an experimental study conducted to assess the influence of temper and firing temperature on the thermal shock resistance of clay-based ceramics. Focusing on the assessment of a material’s capability to resist thermal stresses, difficulties which arise when interpreting experimental results are discussed. We report that thermal shocking may induce a change in fracture mode in the ceramics, a finding which has important implications for the interpretation of experimental results and the assessment of the performance of ceramic vessels when exposed to sudden thermal stresses. Generally, it appears that for coarse cooking ware pottery, thermal shock resistance might not play such an important role as frequently has been assumed. Limited thermal shocking might even be beneficial for a ceramic’s subsequent exposure to thermal stresses, as it can result in a change in fracture mode and...
During the 15th to 16th century, Seville boasted a flourishing pottery manufacture, producing tra... more During the 15th to 16th century, Seville boasted a flourishing pottery manufacture, producing transport jars to be sent to America. At the beginning, the medieval 'cantimplora' was used as the main container, but technical requirements for long-distance tranding led to the development of 'botijas' as the standard type of transport jar. In the present paper, the mechanical performance and manufacturing technology of Seville transport jars is investigated in view of assessing potters' strategies and elucidating the underlying material reasons that ensured the long-term success of these vessels as transport containers for long-distance trade with the new continent.
Lead antimonate (Pb2Sb2O7), or Naples Yellow, is one of the most common yellow pigments found in ... more Lead antimonate (Pb2Sb2O7), or Naples Yellow, is one of the most common yellow pigments found in Renaissance majolica wares and European paintings. The knowledge for its recipe is considered as being transferred to Venice via the migration of eastern Mediterranean glass artists in the early 1500s (Dik et al. 2005). Naples Yellow is also the most ancient synthetic pigment used for colouring and opacifying glass, as evidenced by findings from Egypt (around 1450 BC, Wainwright et al. 1986) and Mesopotamia (1300-1000 BC, Hedges 1976). It was used by Roman glassmakers until a shortage of imported lead antimonate yellow glass from the East probably forced a switch to the use of tin-based yellow pigments in the 4th century (Tite et al. 2008). Later on, iron oxides were used as the main yellow colorant in Byzantine lead-rich glazed pottery (Palamara et al. 2016) even though a very small percentage of lead antimonate occurs in some Late Byzantine sgraffito wares from Macedonia (Tanevska et a...
The Fourth Crusade (1204 AD) brought about significant disruptions across the Byzantine Empire. I... more The Fourth Crusade (1204 AD) brought about significant disruptions across the Byzantine Empire. In Greece, the arrival of Frankish lords and Italian rulers contributed to shape new demands for a variety of goods and commodities. This eventually led to cross-cultural adaptations of culinary traditions, dining practices and artistic tastes. The development of new pan-Mediterranean networks of commercial and artistic exchanges is notably documented by the widespread diffusion of glazed tablewares in the Late Byzantine “Zeuxippus Ware class I” across Turkey, Greece and northern Italy. It remains unclear, however, whether these exchanges were purely commercial and artistic in nature, or also involved some technological transfers and thus some learning and regular contacts between producers. This paper aims to shed light on this question through a combined analysis of style, provenance, production and decoration techniques of 25 glazed bowls with incised patterns and yellow glaze, includi...
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Papers in journals & chapters in edited volumes by Noémi S Müller
Eretria, in the centre of the Aegean (Greece), has been the focus of an interdisciplinary programme that combines macroscopic, petrographic and elemental analysis in a diachronic investigation of pottery production and supply on the site from the early third millennium (Early Bronze Age) to the end of the first millennium BCE (Hellenistic
period). This paper reviews the preliminary results of the analyses of the pottery of historical times, mainly from the Geometric to the Hellenistic periods (phase II of the Eretria pottery project). It presents the compositional and technological characteristics of the local fabrics and offers examples of how continuity and innovation characterise different aspects of Eretria's pottery production. In addition, different categories of imported vessels that arrived in Eretria are investigated in order to recognize the origin of these specific products.
Central Euboea is a key area in archaeological discussions addressing issues of connectivity and cultural transmission between the Aegean and Anatolia in the third millennium BC, mainly during the Early Helladic (EH) II. Excavations at Eretria have recovered significant amounts of EH II–III pottery from levels underlying Classical-Hellenistic buildings. In spite of its fragmentary condition this material deserves special attention as it provides an interesting data set to complement the Lefkandi I–III pottery and it offers a rare insight into the EH III period in Euboea. The majority of the EH II pottery belongs to the second part of the period (EH IIB) and displays both continental (mainly sauceboats, saucers and askoi) and Anatolianising shapes (plates, bell-shaped cups, tankards, beaked jugs). EH III is marked by the appearance of grey ware and a new shape repertoire with the predominance of Bass Bowls, tankards and wide-mouthed jars. This paper aims at presenting an overview of the pottery groups based on a detailed macroscopic study combined with petrographic and chemical analyses using wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF). The main objective is to characterise, both compositionally and technologically, local products at Eretria and to follow transformations in local supply and production through time, shedding light on Eretria’s role in local and regional networks during the third millennium BC. The results show that both fine and coarse EH II and EH III local wares are made with the same fabrics, despite evident changes through time in terms of shaping, surface treatment and firing, leading to the conclusion that both continuity and innovation characterise different aspects of their production. Interestingly, the Anatolianising fine ware of late EH II is made of local clay, while some typical central Aegean vessels such as sauceboats appear to be non-local. Furthermore, a significant part of the EH II coarse ware is imported from the western Cyclades or South Euboea, unlike the EH III coarse ware which is almost exclusively local.
Fortunately, quite a lot of the extant tripod fragments have a clay
core and/or show preserved residues of the casting molds on their surface. In our pilot study with 61 samples from Olympia and five samples from Kalapodi, it is shown that neutron activation analysis (NAA) allows a coherent internal chemical grouping of the clay pastes used in the ancient casting workshops. Furthermore, comparative material from workshop debris and also geological samples allow a geographical localization of many of the chemical groups. In general terms, NAA therefore seems to be an effective method to define
production sites of artifacts cast in the lost wax technique. In the case of EIAtripods, sites and travel routes of workshops can be traced as well as travelroutes of clients. This provides new hard data for modeling both the politicaland the economic structures of EIA Greece.
A multianalytical approach based on petrographic and chemical analysis, supported by refiring tests and geological sampling,
has been employed to tackle issues of technology and provenance. Results shed light on patterns of raw material sources exploitation and pottery production and supply at the site over time.
The definitive version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.101 /j.jasrep.2015.12.017
Keywords
Eretria, in the centre of the Aegean (Greece), has been the focus of an interdisciplinary programme that combines macroscopic, petrographic and elemental analysis in a diachronic investigation of pottery production and supply on the site from the early third millennium (Early Bronze Age) to the end of the first millennium BCE (Hellenistic
period). This paper reviews the preliminary results of the analyses of the pottery of historical times, mainly from the Geometric to the Hellenistic periods (phase II of the Eretria pottery project). It presents the compositional and technological characteristics of the local fabrics and offers examples of how continuity and innovation characterise different aspects of Eretria's pottery production. In addition, different categories of imported vessels that arrived in Eretria are investigated in order to recognize the origin of these specific products.
Central Euboea is a key area in archaeological discussions addressing issues of connectivity and cultural transmission between the Aegean and Anatolia in the third millennium BC, mainly during the Early Helladic (EH) II. Excavations at Eretria have recovered significant amounts of EH II–III pottery from levels underlying Classical-Hellenistic buildings. In spite of its fragmentary condition this material deserves special attention as it provides an interesting data set to complement the Lefkandi I–III pottery and it offers a rare insight into the EH III period in Euboea. The majority of the EH II pottery belongs to the second part of the period (EH IIB) and displays both continental (mainly sauceboats, saucers and askoi) and Anatolianising shapes (plates, bell-shaped cups, tankards, beaked jugs). EH III is marked by the appearance of grey ware and a new shape repertoire with the predominance of Bass Bowls, tankards and wide-mouthed jars. This paper aims at presenting an overview of the pottery groups based on a detailed macroscopic study combined with petrographic and chemical analyses using wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF). The main objective is to characterise, both compositionally and technologically, local products at Eretria and to follow transformations in local supply and production through time, shedding light on Eretria’s role in local and regional networks during the third millennium BC. The results show that both fine and coarse EH II and EH III local wares are made with the same fabrics, despite evident changes through time in terms of shaping, surface treatment and firing, leading to the conclusion that both continuity and innovation characterise different aspects of their production. Interestingly, the Anatolianising fine ware of late EH II is made of local clay, while some typical central Aegean vessels such as sauceboats appear to be non-local. Furthermore, a significant part of the EH II coarse ware is imported from the western Cyclades or South Euboea, unlike the EH III coarse ware which is almost exclusively local.
Fortunately, quite a lot of the extant tripod fragments have a clay
core and/or show preserved residues of the casting molds on their surface. In our pilot study with 61 samples from Olympia and five samples from Kalapodi, it is shown that neutron activation analysis (NAA) allows a coherent internal chemical grouping of the clay pastes used in the ancient casting workshops. Furthermore, comparative material from workshop debris and also geological samples allow a geographical localization of many of the chemical groups. In general terms, NAA therefore seems to be an effective method to define
production sites of artifacts cast in the lost wax technique. In the case of EIAtripods, sites and travel routes of workshops can be traced as well as travelroutes of clients. This provides new hard data for modeling both the politicaland the economic structures of EIA Greece.
A multianalytical approach based on petrographic and chemical analysis, supported by refiring tests and geological sampling,
has been employed to tackle issues of technology and provenance. Results shed light on patterns of raw material sources exploitation and pottery production and supply at the site over time.
The definitive version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.101 /j.jasrep.2015.12.017
Keywords
It remains unclear, however, whether these exchanges were purely commercial and artistic in nature, or also involved some technological transfers and thus some learning and regular contacts between producers. This paper aims to shed light on this question through a combined analysis of style, provenance, production and decoration techniques of 25 glazed bowls with incised patterns and yellow glaze, including 18 samples of Zeuxippus wares. The archaeometric methods involved are petrography, WD-XRF and SEM-EDS. The material under study is dated to the 14th century and comes from stratified contexts at the city of Corinth, then under Florentine rule, and from the Frankish-controlled city of Thebes, which was one of the main economic allies of the Venetian colony of Negroponte in central Greece.
Our results provide further evidence for the production of yellow-glazed bowls with incised spiral and concentric circles at Thebes during the 14th century [1]. Corinth received similar productions from Byzantine Anatolia, Byzantine Thrace and the Veneto, but it might not have produced any Zeuxippus ware itself. The Genoese, who were the main rivals of Venice for trade in the East, exported glazed bowls with distinct decoration to the Peloponnese. As for decorative techniques, slipping materials were specific to each region of production, but kaolinitic clays were used in at least three Greek workshops of Byzantine tradition. Several clay selection strategies, pot forming techniques, glazing and colouring methods were shared between Frankish Greek and Venetian workshops. This raises the question of a mobility of craftsmen and provides insights into the complex production and trade strategies of glazed tablewares, which were not only dependent on economic alliances of the time, but also on the access to certain technical knowledge and primary materials for glaze and pigment preparation.
Subsequently, the discovery of a craft production installation at the site of Alimos, just 4 kilometers south of the Athenian Acropolis, has provided a wealth of new evidence, including kiln wasters, suggesting the manufacture of a range of ceramic vessel types similar to those identified to be of an Attic origin. Preliminary examination through thin-section petrography coupled with traditional typological fabric analysis indicates that the pottery produced at Alimos includes specialized vessel types such as fine tablewares, quality cooking vessels and tubs in a range of sizes with a wide distribution of entire assemblages reaching at least as far as Thorikos in southeast Attica, Kanakia in the west and perhaps farther into the Aegean world during the LH IIIB period.
The scope of this paper is to illuminate that the distribution of pottery in Attica and parts of the Saronic Gulf during the LH IIIB period through characterizations of the ceramic material that we have identified to have been manufactured at Alimos through the use of thin-section petrography. Consumption patterns of ceramics in and around the gulf supply new and exciting information that provides key insight about the inter- and intra-regional relationships during a period of prehistory where craft production and distribution is usually considered to have been centrally controlled by local palatial centers. Finally, by concentrating on the production and movement of entire assemblages, we attempt to locate the place of the potter’s craft within the palatially centered Mycenaean society.
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