This paper compares samples of coarse pottery from Knossos and Sybrita in Crete, in order to esta... more This paper compares samples of coarse pottery from Knossos and Sybrita in Crete, in order to establish the degree to which cooking and storage wares were locally produced, or exchanged between settlements.
"In an effort to investigate local pottery production in Boeotia and interregional exchange ... more "In an effort to investigate local pottery production in Boeotia and interregional exchange during the Middle Helladic period (ca. 2000-1675 BCE) this paper examines the integration of petrographic data to fine- grained stylistic classification of monochrome burnished grey, yellow, brown and red (‘Minyan’), mattpainted and polychrome wares excavated at the archaeological site of Orchomenos. Emphasis is put on the detailed technological and compositional study of Grey Minyan pottery, both the fine (‘True Grey Minyan’) and coarse ware groups, so as to assess the potential role of Orchomenos as an important potting centre in Boeotia. Regarding issues of provenance, the identification of local fabric groups proved to be challenging as the geological landscape around Kopais basin, as evidenced by geological prospection and subsequent experiments, is quite varied with a range of limestones and flysch lithologies with ophiolite outcrops. Furthermore, ‘local’ coarse petrofabrics, manufactured with calcareous-poor clays, show a great degree of compositional heterogeneity which does not parallel the stylistic classification scheme. It appears that more than one workshop was involved in the production of these wares. The analytical data also confirms the presence of imports from Aegina, the Cyclades, and mainland Greece and attests to Orchomenos’ participation in interregional exchange."
A review of recent synthetic studies dealing with the Late Bronze Age suggests that ceramic data ... more A review of recent synthetic studies dealing with the Late Bronze Age suggests that ceramic data play a relatively minor role in such texts, a point confirmed by the paucity of substantial articles on ceramic topics in the main regional journals. This forms a marked contrast to the effort devoted to ceramic studies both during fieldwork and in excavation reports. A review of the manner in which ceramic data is presented in such reports suggests that while areas of genuine innovation can be identified, the detailed information provided in many fieldwork monographs is not optimally aligned with the needs of those undertaking higher-level synthetic studies. It is suggested that this may reflect a continuing adherence to methods for dealing with pottery that took shape in the mid-20th century, when scholars’ expectations of what could be achieved through pottery remained modest. It is suggested that there is an urgent need to revise both field and publication procedures, so that ceramic...
Travaux De La Maison De L Orient Mediterraneen, 2002
Des analyses petrographiques ont ete effectuees au Laboratoire Fitch a Athenes sur des amphores d... more Des analyses petrographiques ont ete effectuees au Laboratoire Fitch a Athenes sur des amphores datant pour la plupart de la fin du IIe ou du debut du Ier s. av. J.-C. et provenant de trois sites cretois, Knossos (contexte de four), Mochlos et Myrtos Pyrgos. Les resultats ont permis de distinguer deux sites de production : l'un fournissait Knossos et utilisait une argile a degraissant de sable de Crete centrale ; l'autre, tres probablement situe sur ou a proximite du site de l'anciennne Hierapytna, utilisait une argile caracterisee par des inclusions de roche volcanique et d' amphibolite et fournissait, en Crete orientale, une zone incluant a la fois Mochlos et Myrtos Pyrgos. Des amphores etrangeres etaient importees et des imitations locales en etaient produites dans les deux parties de l'ile, mais il existe peu de preuves de commerce entre celles-ci.
Travaux De La Maison De L Orient Mediterraneen, 1998
Lors d'une recente recherche, il a ete envisage que la ceramique peinte, dite de Ninive 5, pu... more Lors d'une recente recherche, il a ete envisage que la ceramique peinte, dite de Ninive 5, puisse etre l'indice de l'existence, en Mesopotamie septentrionale, de societes non-egalitaires dirigees par une elite. L'analyse spatiale de la distribution de la ceramique peinte a permis d'etablir l'etendue de la presence de cette elite socio-economique. L'analyse basee sur la fonction symbolique de la ceramique peinte a, quant a elle, tente d'interpreter cette derniere comme un marqueur social privilegie permettant d'identifier la presence d'une classe sociale particuliere, plus precisement une elite, sur des sites archeologiques de la Syrie du Nord au IIIe millenaire av. J.-C.
This paper presents the results of a large-scale petrological study of Early Iron Age (twelfth-se... more This paper presents the results of a large-scale petrological study of Early Iron Age (twelfth-seventh centuries bc) coarse wares from north-central Crete. 210 samples were taken for analysis from six locations at Knossos, representing distinct funerary, domestic, and ritual contexts. The pottery selected represents coarse to semi-fine fabrics and a variety of vessel types and sizes. The bulk (188) of the samples can be divided into seven fabric groups, with 22 loners or pairs. Four of the seven fabric groups exhibit a mineralogy that is consistent with local geology. The functional ceramic range is clearly reflected in the methods of clay preparation: coarse wares, cooking pot wares and fine wares have distinct clay paste technology. Three of the fabric groups, however, appear to be non-local, twelve samples coming from elsewhere in Crete, and twenty-three from elsewhere in the Aegean. Fabric groups 4 and 7 seem to represent a rather specialized local taste for exotic (possibly Cyc...
Late Bronze Age Handmade Burnished Ware (HMBW) from Tell Kazel was studied by thin-section petrog... more Late Bronze Age Handmade Burnished Ware (HMBW) from Tell Kazel was studied by thin-section petrography and neutron activation analysis in order to investigate its manufacturing technology and origin of production. Results show that the majority of the HMBW fabric groups point to a local area of production while a few petrographic loners might have been produced elsewhere in the Akkar
This paper compares samples of coarse pottery from Knossos and Sybrita in Crete, in order to esta... more This paper compares samples of coarse pottery from Knossos and Sybrita in Crete, in order to establish the degree to which cooking and storage wares were locally produced, or exchanged between settlements.
"In an effort to investigate local pottery production in Boeotia and interregional exchange ... more "In an effort to investigate local pottery production in Boeotia and interregional exchange during the Middle Helladic period (ca. 2000-1675 BCE) this paper examines the integration of petrographic data to fine- grained stylistic classification of monochrome burnished grey, yellow, brown and red (‘Minyan’), mattpainted and polychrome wares excavated at the archaeological site of Orchomenos. Emphasis is put on the detailed technological and compositional study of Grey Minyan pottery, both the fine (‘True Grey Minyan’) and coarse ware groups, so as to assess the potential role of Orchomenos as an important potting centre in Boeotia. Regarding issues of provenance, the identification of local fabric groups proved to be challenging as the geological landscape around Kopais basin, as evidenced by geological prospection and subsequent experiments, is quite varied with a range of limestones and flysch lithologies with ophiolite outcrops. Furthermore, ‘local’ coarse petrofabrics, manufactured with calcareous-poor clays, show a great degree of compositional heterogeneity which does not parallel the stylistic classification scheme. It appears that more than one workshop was involved in the production of these wares. The analytical data also confirms the presence of imports from Aegina, the Cyclades, and mainland Greece and attests to Orchomenos’ participation in interregional exchange."
A review of recent synthetic studies dealing with the Late Bronze Age suggests that ceramic data ... more A review of recent synthetic studies dealing with the Late Bronze Age suggests that ceramic data play a relatively minor role in such texts, a point confirmed by the paucity of substantial articles on ceramic topics in the main regional journals. This forms a marked contrast to the effort devoted to ceramic studies both during fieldwork and in excavation reports. A review of the manner in which ceramic data is presented in such reports suggests that while areas of genuine innovation can be identified, the detailed information provided in many fieldwork monographs is not optimally aligned with the needs of those undertaking higher-level synthetic studies. It is suggested that this may reflect a continuing adherence to methods for dealing with pottery that took shape in the mid-20th century, when scholars’ expectations of what could be achieved through pottery remained modest. It is suggested that there is an urgent need to revise both field and publication procedures, so that ceramic...
Travaux De La Maison De L Orient Mediterraneen, 2002
Des analyses petrographiques ont ete effectuees au Laboratoire Fitch a Athenes sur des amphores d... more Des analyses petrographiques ont ete effectuees au Laboratoire Fitch a Athenes sur des amphores datant pour la plupart de la fin du IIe ou du debut du Ier s. av. J.-C. et provenant de trois sites cretois, Knossos (contexte de four), Mochlos et Myrtos Pyrgos. Les resultats ont permis de distinguer deux sites de production : l'un fournissait Knossos et utilisait une argile a degraissant de sable de Crete centrale ; l'autre, tres probablement situe sur ou a proximite du site de l'anciennne Hierapytna, utilisait une argile caracterisee par des inclusions de roche volcanique et d' amphibolite et fournissait, en Crete orientale, une zone incluant a la fois Mochlos et Myrtos Pyrgos. Des amphores etrangeres etaient importees et des imitations locales en etaient produites dans les deux parties de l'ile, mais il existe peu de preuves de commerce entre celles-ci.
Travaux De La Maison De L Orient Mediterraneen, 1998
Lors d'une recente recherche, il a ete envisage que la ceramique peinte, dite de Ninive 5, pu... more Lors d'une recente recherche, il a ete envisage que la ceramique peinte, dite de Ninive 5, puisse etre l'indice de l'existence, en Mesopotamie septentrionale, de societes non-egalitaires dirigees par une elite. L'analyse spatiale de la distribution de la ceramique peinte a permis d'etablir l'etendue de la presence de cette elite socio-economique. L'analyse basee sur la fonction symbolique de la ceramique peinte a, quant a elle, tente d'interpreter cette derniere comme un marqueur social privilegie permettant d'identifier la presence d'une classe sociale particuliere, plus precisement une elite, sur des sites archeologiques de la Syrie du Nord au IIIe millenaire av. J.-C.
This paper presents the results of a large-scale petrological study of Early Iron Age (twelfth-se... more This paper presents the results of a large-scale petrological study of Early Iron Age (twelfth-seventh centuries bc) coarse wares from north-central Crete. 210 samples were taken for analysis from six locations at Knossos, representing distinct funerary, domestic, and ritual contexts. The pottery selected represents coarse to semi-fine fabrics and a variety of vessel types and sizes. The bulk (188) of the samples can be divided into seven fabric groups, with 22 loners or pairs. Four of the seven fabric groups exhibit a mineralogy that is consistent with local geology. The functional ceramic range is clearly reflected in the methods of clay preparation: coarse wares, cooking pot wares and fine wares have distinct clay paste technology. Three of the fabric groups, however, appear to be non-local, twelve samples coming from elsewhere in Crete, and twenty-three from elsewhere in the Aegean. Fabric groups 4 and 7 seem to represent a rather specialized local taste for exotic (possibly Cyc...
Late Bronze Age Handmade Burnished Ware (HMBW) from Tell Kazel was studied by thin-section petrog... more Late Bronze Age Handmade Burnished Ware (HMBW) from Tell Kazel was studied by thin-section petrography and neutron activation analysis in order to investigate its manufacturing technology and origin of production. Results show that the majority of the HMBW fabric groups point to a local area of production while a few petrographic loners might have been produced elsewhere in the Akkar
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Papers by Marie-Claude Boileau