Rivista di Studi Pompeiani, Associazione Internazionale Amici di Pompei , 2020
Etude et interprétation du mobilier céramique d'une tombe d'époque samnite de la nécropole de Por... more Etude et interprétation du mobilier céramique d'une tombe d'époque samnite de la nécropole de Porta Ercolano, à Pompei.
Recent excavations of the Via dei Sepolcri ceramic workshop in Pompeii provide an exceptional win... more Recent excavations of the Via dei Sepolcri ceramic workshop in Pompeii provide an exceptional window into ancient Roman material culture. The remarkable ceramic objects found here, and importantly, the raw geological materials used in their production, afford a unique opportunity to gather information about each aspect of the organisation of the workshop and the ceramics production cycle, including those which are normally erased by the firing process. The exceptional nature of this site provides interesting insights into the system of raw material procurement, a facet poorly explored thus far due to the lack of ancient historical sources. The study is based on the investigation of 40 samples including pottery fragments, unfired, fired and overfired sherds and their source materials by means of optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy; in addition, Sr–Nd isotopic and paleontological analyses completed the raw material characterisation. The workshop experienced two different periods of activity starting from the beginning of 1st century CE; in a first phase they produced a variegated repertoire of Thin Walled pottery using local alluvial sediments and clays imported from Ischia island. In a second phase (probably from 62 to 63 CE to 79 CE), the workshop became larger and more specialised, the Thin Walled types drastically decreased and the artisans exclusively utilized clayey sediments from outcrops near Mt. Picentini in the Salerno province. As complementary materials, the ceramic production also utilized local volcanic sands for tempering and decorative purposes along with a presumed imported red earth pigment for decorative finishing. Firing conditions, as inferred from mineral assemblages in the pottery, were not strictly controlled in either production phase as estimated firing temperatures vary widely from approximately 800 to 1000 ◦C. Likewise, atmospheric conditions in the kiln, as inferred from the variable occurrence of Fe2+ and Fe3+ oxides, were not carefully controlled in either production phase. When compared with data from the larger framework of coeval regional and extra-regional pottery productions, the data obtained suggest that the existing paradigm of the Exploitable Threshold Model, which implies a maximum distance of 7–8 km between the source of raw materials and their usage in production centres, may need to be revised by at least an order of magnitude where sea routes and ports were readily available, as was the case in Pompeii and the surrounding Bay of Naples.
Textiles, Basketry and Dyes in the Ancient Mediterranean World, Proceedings of the Vth International Symposium on Textiles and Dyes in the Ancient Mediterranean World (Montserrat, 19-22 March, 2014), J. Ortiz, C. Alfaro, L. Turell and M.ª J. Martínez (eds.), Universitat de València 2016
En 2005, lors de la fouille d’un monument funéraire, situé au nord de la Porte Médiane des fortif... more En 2005, lors de la fouille d’un monument funéraire, situé au nord de la Porte Médiane des fortifications septentrionales de la ville de Cumes, des restes de tissus ont été mis au jour. Ce petit tombeau - MSL37024 - comportait une chambre hypogée renfermant trois urnes cinéraires. Sous le fronton, l’inscription gravée sur un bloc de tuf gris mentionne le nom de trois affranchis. L’ensemble des données permet de dater le contexte de la deuxième moitié du Ier siècle av. J.-C. Le tissu pourrait correspondre à un linge ou un sac contenant les os brûlés des défunts.
Archeological campaigns along the track of the Domitian road
in Cuma resulted in the recovery of ... more Archeological campaigns along the track of the Domitian road in Cuma resulted in the recovery of a large amount of potshards and crucible fragments (both open and closed forms), covered with residues of blue and green frits, respectively. Typological analysis of the crucibles combined with mineralogical and petrological analyses on the ceramic body and frit residues revealed that the forms are intimately related to the technological data. Newly formed calcium silicates indicate high firing treatments of crucibles during pigment making (not lower than 950°C). In particular, different working temperatures for the two types of crucibles have been estimated by the presence/absence of sodalite-nosean feldspathoid. This mineral formed after the reaction of Si-Al-rich material (the sintered ceramic body) and alkalis transferred to ceramics via chemical diffusion during the pigment synthesis. Thus, the estimated working temperatures are higher for closed forms (>1100°C) and lower for the open ones (950–1050°C). This different thermal treatment perfectly fits with the temperatures of green and blue pigment synthesis; higher temperatures for green pigments allowed the formation of abundant Cu-bearing glassy phase, whereas, blue pigment is prone to the formation and thermal stability of cuprorivaite crystals (950–1050°C). Moreover, the two frits showed similar recipes (quartz-feldspar-calcite-rich sand) with the exception of more abundant Cu-bearing colorant agent in blue hue and higher proportion of alkaline flux in green frit. The obtained data suggested that crucibles were a fundamental tool for pigment manufacturing, likely one of the best example of ancient technical ceramics, as they permitted controlling the temperatures along with the fuel and the treatment time. Combining analytical and archeological data, the production and the technology of the two colored compounds identified as Egyptian Blue and Green frits in ancient Cuma has been inferred. Finally, considering the Vitruvius excerpt that identified an Egyptian Blue production in Puteoli, the area of production can be widen up to the northern Phlegraean Fields, also including Cumae and Liternum.
In 1993, Michel Bats has been charged by the Soprintendenza archeologica of Naples to manage new ... more In 1993, Michel Bats has been charged by the Soprintendenza archeologica of Naples to manage new researches at
Cumae. This ambitious project involves four partners : the Soprintendenza itself, the
University “Federico II ”, the University “L’Orientale” and the Centre Jean Bérard. The three Italian teams studied
the forum, the remparts and the houses. The Centre Jean Bérard (CNRS-EFR) carried on excavations in the periphery of
the Ancient city with the initial aim of discovering the harbour. Surveys and excavations outside the walls, to the South
and the North of the Acropolis, along the seashore and the shores of the Laguna di Licola, established the chronology
of the site, its topography, its sedimentology and the evolution of its landscape. Even if no remains of any harbour were
discovered, the excavations revealed graves of the Iron Age, a Greek sanctuary, the Greek and Roman North cemetery
of the city as well as Byzantine buildings. In the Greek sanctuary, a row of rooms can be interpreted as banquet halls for ritual meals.
Rivista di Studi Pompeiani, Associazione Internazionale Amici di Pompei , 2020
Etude et interprétation du mobilier céramique d'une tombe d'époque samnite de la nécropole de Por... more Etude et interprétation du mobilier céramique d'une tombe d'époque samnite de la nécropole de Porta Ercolano, à Pompei.
Recent excavations of the Via dei Sepolcri ceramic workshop in Pompeii provide an exceptional win... more Recent excavations of the Via dei Sepolcri ceramic workshop in Pompeii provide an exceptional window into ancient Roman material culture. The remarkable ceramic objects found here, and importantly, the raw geological materials used in their production, afford a unique opportunity to gather information about each aspect of the organisation of the workshop and the ceramics production cycle, including those which are normally erased by the firing process. The exceptional nature of this site provides interesting insights into the system of raw material procurement, a facet poorly explored thus far due to the lack of ancient historical sources. The study is based on the investigation of 40 samples including pottery fragments, unfired, fired and overfired sherds and their source materials by means of optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy; in addition, Sr–Nd isotopic and paleontological analyses completed the raw material characterisation. The workshop experienced two different periods of activity starting from the beginning of 1st century CE; in a first phase they produced a variegated repertoire of Thin Walled pottery using local alluvial sediments and clays imported from Ischia island. In a second phase (probably from 62 to 63 CE to 79 CE), the workshop became larger and more specialised, the Thin Walled types drastically decreased and the artisans exclusively utilized clayey sediments from outcrops near Mt. Picentini in the Salerno province. As complementary materials, the ceramic production also utilized local volcanic sands for tempering and decorative purposes along with a presumed imported red earth pigment for decorative finishing. Firing conditions, as inferred from mineral assemblages in the pottery, were not strictly controlled in either production phase as estimated firing temperatures vary widely from approximately 800 to 1000 ◦C. Likewise, atmospheric conditions in the kiln, as inferred from the variable occurrence of Fe2+ and Fe3+ oxides, were not carefully controlled in either production phase. When compared with data from the larger framework of coeval regional and extra-regional pottery productions, the data obtained suggest that the existing paradigm of the Exploitable Threshold Model, which implies a maximum distance of 7–8 km between the source of raw materials and their usage in production centres, may need to be revised by at least an order of magnitude where sea routes and ports were readily available, as was the case in Pompeii and the surrounding Bay of Naples.
Textiles, Basketry and Dyes in the Ancient Mediterranean World, Proceedings of the Vth International Symposium on Textiles and Dyes in the Ancient Mediterranean World (Montserrat, 19-22 March, 2014), J. Ortiz, C. Alfaro, L. Turell and M.ª J. Martínez (eds.), Universitat de València 2016
En 2005, lors de la fouille d’un monument funéraire, situé au nord de la Porte Médiane des fortif... more En 2005, lors de la fouille d’un monument funéraire, situé au nord de la Porte Médiane des fortifications septentrionales de la ville de Cumes, des restes de tissus ont été mis au jour. Ce petit tombeau - MSL37024 - comportait une chambre hypogée renfermant trois urnes cinéraires. Sous le fronton, l’inscription gravée sur un bloc de tuf gris mentionne le nom de trois affranchis. L’ensemble des données permet de dater le contexte de la deuxième moitié du Ier siècle av. J.-C. Le tissu pourrait correspondre à un linge ou un sac contenant les os brûlés des défunts.
Archeological campaigns along the track of the Domitian road
in Cuma resulted in the recovery of ... more Archeological campaigns along the track of the Domitian road in Cuma resulted in the recovery of a large amount of potshards and crucible fragments (both open and closed forms), covered with residues of blue and green frits, respectively. Typological analysis of the crucibles combined with mineralogical and petrological analyses on the ceramic body and frit residues revealed that the forms are intimately related to the technological data. Newly formed calcium silicates indicate high firing treatments of crucibles during pigment making (not lower than 950°C). In particular, different working temperatures for the two types of crucibles have been estimated by the presence/absence of sodalite-nosean feldspathoid. This mineral formed after the reaction of Si-Al-rich material (the sintered ceramic body) and alkalis transferred to ceramics via chemical diffusion during the pigment synthesis. Thus, the estimated working temperatures are higher for closed forms (>1100°C) and lower for the open ones (950–1050°C). This different thermal treatment perfectly fits with the temperatures of green and blue pigment synthesis; higher temperatures for green pigments allowed the formation of abundant Cu-bearing glassy phase, whereas, blue pigment is prone to the formation and thermal stability of cuprorivaite crystals (950–1050°C). Moreover, the two frits showed similar recipes (quartz-feldspar-calcite-rich sand) with the exception of more abundant Cu-bearing colorant agent in blue hue and higher proportion of alkaline flux in green frit. The obtained data suggested that crucibles were a fundamental tool for pigment manufacturing, likely one of the best example of ancient technical ceramics, as they permitted controlling the temperatures along with the fuel and the treatment time. Combining analytical and archeological data, the production and the technology of the two colored compounds identified as Egyptian Blue and Green frits in ancient Cuma has been inferred. Finally, considering the Vitruvius excerpt that identified an Egyptian Blue production in Puteoli, the area of production can be widen up to the northern Phlegraean Fields, also including Cumae and Liternum.
In 1993, Michel Bats has been charged by the Soprintendenza archeologica of Naples to manage new ... more In 1993, Michel Bats has been charged by the Soprintendenza archeologica of Naples to manage new researches at
Cumae. This ambitious project involves four partners : the Soprintendenza itself, the
University “Federico II ”, the University “L’Orientale” and the Centre Jean Bérard. The three Italian teams studied
the forum, the remparts and the houses. The Centre Jean Bérard (CNRS-EFR) carried on excavations in the periphery of
the Ancient city with the initial aim of discovering the harbour. Surveys and excavations outside the walls, to the South
and the North of the Acropolis, along the seashore and the shores of the Laguna di Licola, established the chronology
of the site, its topography, its sedimentology and the evolution of its landscape. Even if no remains of any harbour were
discovered, the excavations revealed graves of the Iron Age, a Greek sanctuary, the Greek and Roman North cemetery
of the city as well as Byzantine buildings. In the Greek sanctuary, a row of rooms can be interpreted as banquet halls for ritual meals.
Archeological campaigns along the track of the Domitian road in Cuma resulted in the recovery of ... more Archeological campaigns along the track of the Domitian road in Cuma resulted in the recovery of a large amount of pot-shards and crucible fragments (both open and closed forms), covered with residues of blue and green frits, respectively. Typological analysis of the crucibles combined with mineralogi-cal and petrological analyses on the ceramic body and frit residues revealed that the forms are intimately related to the technological data. Newly formed calcium silicates indicate high firing treatments of crucibles during pigment making (not lower than 950°C). In particular, different working temperatures for the two types of crucibles have been estimated by the presence/absence of sodalite-nosean feldspathoid. This mineral formed after the reaction of Si-Al-rich material (the sintered ceramic body) and alkalis transferred to ceramics via chemical diffusion during the pigment synthesis. Thus, the estimated working temperatures are higher for closed forms (>1100°C) and lower for the open ones (950–1050°C). This different thermal treatment perfectly fits with the temperatures of green and blue pigment synthesis; higher temperatures for green pigments allowed the formation of abundant Cu-bearing glassy phase, whereas, blue pigment is prone to the formation and thermal stability of cuprorivaite crystals (950–1050°C). Moreover, the two frits showed similar recipes (quartz-feldspar-calcite-rich sand) with the exception of more abundant Cu-bearing colorant agent in blue hue and higher proportion of alkaline flux in green frit. The obtained data suggested that crucibles were a fundamental tool for pigment manufacturing, likely one of the best example of ancient technical ceramics, as they permitted controlling the temperatures along with the fuel and the treatment time. Combining analytical and archeological data, the production and the technology of the two colored compounds identified as Egyptian Blue and Green frits in ancient Cuma has been inferred. Finally, considering the Vitruvius excerpt that identified an Egyptian Blue production in Puteoli, the area of production can be widen up to the northern Phlegraean Fields, also including Cumae and Liternum.
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The study is based on the investigation of 40 samples including pottery fragments, unfired, fired and overfired sherds and their source materials by means of optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy; in addition, Sr–Nd isotopic and paleontological analyses completed the raw material characterisation.
The workshop experienced two different periods of activity starting from the beginning of 1st century CE; in a first phase they produced a variegated repertoire of Thin Walled pottery using local alluvial sediments and clays imported from Ischia island. In a second phase (probably from 62 to 63 CE to 79 CE), the workshop became larger and more specialised, the Thin Walled types drastically decreased and the artisans exclusively utilized clayey sediments from outcrops near Mt. Picentini in the Salerno province.
As complementary materials, the ceramic production also utilized local volcanic sands for tempering and decorative purposes along with a presumed imported red earth pigment for decorative finishing.
Firing conditions, as inferred from mineral assemblages in the pottery, were not strictly controlled in either production phase as estimated firing temperatures vary widely from approximately 800 to 1000 ◦C. Likewise,
atmospheric conditions in the kiln, as inferred from the variable occurrence of Fe2+ and Fe3+ oxides, were not carefully controlled in either production phase.
When compared with data from the larger framework of coeval regional and extra-regional pottery productions, the data obtained suggest that the existing paradigm of the Exploitable Threshold Model, which implies
a maximum distance of 7–8 km between the source of raw materials and their usage in production centres, may need to be revised by at least an order of magnitude where sea routes and ports were readily available, as was the case in Pompeii and the surrounding Bay of Naples.
in Cuma resulted in the recovery of a large amount of potshards
and crucible fragments (both open and closed forms),
covered with residues of blue and green frits, respectively.
Typological analysis of the crucibles combined with mineralogical
and petrological analyses on the ceramic body and frit residues
revealed that the forms are intimately related to the
technological data. Newly formed calcium silicates indicate
high firing treatments of crucibles during pigment making (not
lower than 950°C). In particular, different working temperatures
for the two types of crucibles have been estimated by the
presence/absence of sodalite-nosean feldspathoid. This mineral
formed after the reaction of Si-Al-rich material (the sintered
ceramic body) and alkalis transferred to ceramics via chemical
diffusion during the pigment synthesis. Thus, the estimated
working temperatures are higher for closed forms (>1100°C)
and lower for the open ones (950–1050°C). This different thermal
treatment perfectly fits with the temperatures of green and
blue pigment synthesis; higher temperatures for green pigments
allowed the formation of abundant Cu-bearing glassy phase,
whereas, blue pigment is prone to the formation and thermal
stability of cuprorivaite crystals (950–1050°C). Moreover, the
two frits showed similar recipes (quartz-feldspar-calcite-rich
sand) with the exception of more abundant Cu-bearing colorant
agent in blue hue and higher proportion of alkaline flux in
green frit. The obtained data suggested that crucibles were a
fundamental tool for pigment manufacturing, likely one of the
best example of ancient technical ceramics, as they permitted
controlling the temperatures along with the fuel and the treatment
time. Combining analytical and archeological data, the
production and the technology of the two colored compounds
identified as Egyptian Blue and Green frits in ancient Cuma
has been inferred. Finally, considering the Vitruvius excerpt
that identified an Egyptian Blue production in Puteoli, the area
of production can be widen up to the northern Phlegraean
Fields, also including Cumae and Liternum.
Cumae. This ambitious project involves four partners : the Soprintendenza itself, the
University “Federico II ”, the University “L’Orientale” and the Centre Jean Bérard. The three Italian teams studied
the forum, the remparts and the houses. The Centre Jean Bérard (CNRS-EFR) carried on excavations in the periphery of
the Ancient city with the initial aim of discovering the harbour. Surveys and excavations outside the walls, to the South
and the North of the Acropolis, along the seashore and the shores of the Laguna di Licola, established the chronology
of the site, its topography, its sedimentology and the evolution of its landscape. Even if no remains of any harbour were
discovered, the excavations revealed graves of the Iron Age, a Greek sanctuary, the Greek and Roman North cemetery
of the city as well as Byzantine buildings. In the Greek sanctuary, a row of rooms can be interpreted as banquet halls for ritual meals.
The study is based on the investigation of 40 samples including pottery fragments, unfired, fired and overfired sherds and their source materials by means of optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy; in addition, Sr–Nd isotopic and paleontological analyses completed the raw material characterisation.
The workshop experienced two different periods of activity starting from the beginning of 1st century CE; in a first phase they produced a variegated repertoire of Thin Walled pottery using local alluvial sediments and clays imported from Ischia island. In a second phase (probably from 62 to 63 CE to 79 CE), the workshop became larger and more specialised, the Thin Walled types drastically decreased and the artisans exclusively utilized clayey sediments from outcrops near Mt. Picentini in the Salerno province.
As complementary materials, the ceramic production also utilized local volcanic sands for tempering and decorative purposes along with a presumed imported red earth pigment for decorative finishing.
Firing conditions, as inferred from mineral assemblages in the pottery, were not strictly controlled in either production phase as estimated firing temperatures vary widely from approximately 800 to 1000 ◦C. Likewise,
atmospheric conditions in the kiln, as inferred from the variable occurrence of Fe2+ and Fe3+ oxides, were not carefully controlled in either production phase.
When compared with data from the larger framework of coeval regional and extra-regional pottery productions, the data obtained suggest that the existing paradigm of the Exploitable Threshold Model, which implies
a maximum distance of 7–8 km between the source of raw materials and their usage in production centres, may need to be revised by at least an order of magnitude where sea routes and ports were readily available, as was the case in Pompeii and the surrounding Bay of Naples.
in Cuma resulted in the recovery of a large amount of potshards
and crucible fragments (both open and closed forms),
covered with residues of blue and green frits, respectively.
Typological analysis of the crucibles combined with mineralogical
and petrological analyses on the ceramic body and frit residues
revealed that the forms are intimately related to the
technological data. Newly formed calcium silicates indicate
high firing treatments of crucibles during pigment making (not
lower than 950°C). In particular, different working temperatures
for the two types of crucibles have been estimated by the
presence/absence of sodalite-nosean feldspathoid. This mineral
formed after the reaction of Si-Al-rich material (the sintered
ceramic body) and alkalis transferred to ceramics via chemical
diffusion during the pigment synthesis. Thus, the estimated
working temperatures are higher for closed forms (>1100°C)
and lower for the open ones (950–1050°C). This different thermal
treatment perfectly fits with the temperatures of green and
blue pigment synthesis; higher temperatures for green pigments
allowed the formation of abundant Cu-bearing glassy phase,
whereas, blue pigment is prone to the formation and thermal
stability of cuprorivaite crystals (950–1050°C). Moreover, the
two frits showed similar recipes (quartz-feldspar-calcite-rich
sand) with the exception of more abundant Cu-bearing colorant
agent in blue hue and higher proportion of alkaline flux in
green frit. The obtained data suggested that crucibles were a
fundamental tool for pigment manufacturing, likely one of the
best example of ancient technical ceramics, as they permitted
controlling the temperatures along with the fuel and the treatment
time. Combining analytical and archeological data, the
production and the technology of the two colored compounds
identified as Egyptian Blue and Green frits in ancient Cuma
has been inferred. Finally, considering the Vitruvius excerpt
that identified an Egyptian Blue production in Puteoli, the area
of production can be widen up to the northern Phlegraean
Fields, also including Cumae and Liternum.
Cumae. This ambitious project involves four partners : the Soprintendenza itself, the
University “Federico II ”, the University “L’Orientale” and the Centre Jean Bérard. The three Italian teams studied
the forum, the remparts and the houses. The Centre Jean Bérard (CNRS-EFR) carried on excavations in the periphery of
the Ancient city with the initial aim of discovering the harbour. Surveys and excavations outside the walls, to the South
and the North of the Acropolis, along the seashore and the shores of the Laguna di Licola, established the chronology
of the site, its topography, its sedimentology and the evolution of its landscape. Even if no remains of any harbour were
discovered, the excavations revealed graves of the Iron Age, a Greek sanctuary, the Greek and Roman North cemetery
of the city as well as Byzantine buildings. In the Greek sanctuary, a row of rooms can be interpreted as banquet halls for ritual meals.