L' Age du Bronze est la periode d'emergence des civilisations palatiales en Mediterranee ... more L' Age du Bronze est la periode d'emergence des civilisations palatiales en Mediterranee orientale et notamment en Crete, a la fin du 3e millenaire. Ce developpement conduit a l'essor des activites artisanales de luxe comme la production de vases en pierre. Grâce a un travail experimental de terrain et en laboratoire, associe a une observation du mobilier archeologique a differentes echelles, nous avons pu restituer une partie des savoir-faire employes par les artisans cretois pour la fabrication de la vaisselle de pierre. Une koine technique se degage, ainsi qu'une standardisation de la production commune faisant apparaitre des chaines operatoires de forage differentes selon la forme souhaitee. Certains procedes etrangers (forage tubulaire ou methode d'evidement) ont ete introduits a travers des contacts avec des artisans, certainement egyptiens. Mais les minoens les ont rapidement integres a des chaines operatoires locales et au profit de leur propre repertoire morphologique.
The first substantial corpus of developed and complex stone vases emerged on the Greek mainland i... more The first substantial corpus of developed and complex stone vases emerged on the Greek mainland in the shaft graves of Mycenae (Middle Helladic III – Late Helladic I) and was certainly, in large part, of Minoan origin. However, a Mycenaean industry appeared in the Late Helladic III period, which suggests a link with Minoan technology. Indeed, there is an extremely strong possibility that expatriate craftsmen had gradually transmitted their knowledge to local Mycenaean apprentices. A technological study of a corpus of 24 stone vases from Mycenae, dated to the Late Helladic I/II–III, enables the identification and reconstruction of the manufacturing processes and techniques involved in mainland production. It appears to be the case that a great part of the Mycenaean know-how derives from contact with Minoan craftsmanship. However, if a large number of technical elements (use of tubular drilling for the hollowing process, production of the vessels in several parts) may come from a Mino...
Cynthia Hahn & Avinoam Shalem (eds.), Seeking Transparency: The Medieval Rock Crystal, proceedings of the international conference, Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz, Max-Planck-Institut, Florence, Italy, 19-20 May 2017, Berlin, 2020
Laurence Astruc, François Bon, Vanessa Léa, Pierre Yves Milcent, Sylvie Philibert (eds.), Normes techniques et pratiques sociales. De la simplicité de l'outillage pré- et protohistoriques, XXVIe rencontre internationale d'archéologie et d'histoire d'Antibes, APDCA, Antibes, 2008
During the second millennium in Crete, specialised crafts use tools of a low degree of elaboratio... more During the second millennium in Crete, specialised crafts use tools of a low degree of elaboration. Through some case studies, percussion, grinding and drilling from the Quartier Mu at Malia, we aim at demonstrating that the complexity reside in a toors association during different 'chaînes opératoires'.
Laura Longo and Natalia Skakun (eds.), “Prehistoric Technology”, 40 Years Later: Functional Studies and The Russian Legacy, Proceedings of the International Congress held at Verona, 20-23 April 2005, Oxford, 2008
During the 2nd millennium BC, the period of emergence of the Minoan palaces, contacts between Cre... more During the 2nd millennium BC, the period of emergence of the Minoan palaces, contacts between Crete and eastern Mediterranean (Egypt and Near East mainly) permitted the enrichment of local crafts with important technical innovations. For example, during Middle Bronze (first part of the 2nd millennium BC), the tubular drill was introduced for the manufacture of stone vases, seals and stone beads. The reconstruction of dffirent drilling techniques aims at revealing the patterns of their introduction as well as the skills and know-how involved. The reconstruction of Minoan techniques and "chaînes opératoires" is based on: a) macroscopic analyses of artefacts from the "Craftsmen Quarter" at Malia (Quartier Mu), from the sites of Pseira and Kommos; b) microscopic analyses (interferometers, optical rugosimerers) of archaeological and experimental samples.
Tell Aswad is a Neolithic site located 30 km East-South-East from Damascus. Discovered by H. de C... more Tell Aswad is a Neolithic site located 30 km East-South-East from Damascus. Discovered by H. de Contenson, the site was sounded in 1972 and 1973. Between 2001 and 2006 it was excavated by a Franco/Syrian team. Fourteen archaeological levels were discovered, representing the three phases of the PPNB (Early PPNB horizon, Middle and Late PPNB). The funeral area described here appears to be dated to the beginning of the Late PPNB. This area was used in two stages and more than 50 individuals were buried in several different types of grave (individual, collective, primary, secondary and a combination of these). The first stage begun with the deposition of four plastered skulls.
During the Bronze Age (3000–1000 B.C.) in Crete, period of development of luxury craft production... more During the Bronze Age (3000–1000 B.C.) in Crete, period of development of luxury craft productions, new shapes of stone vases, complex and original occurred in the workshops, implying an evolution of drilling techniques. The surface of archaeological stone vases and of conical bore cores contain the signature of the mechanisms of abrasion. But which type of abrasive, bit material and lubricant has been used by prehistoric craftsmen? In order to identify abrading techniques employed we have developed a drilling tribometer. The experimental reproduction of wear traces and their comparison with archaeological ones, permitted to reveal the use of an abrasive paste inside the tubular drill.
With a study involving tribological analysis in the laboratory, experimental tests and observatio... more With a study involving tribological analysis in the laboratory, experimental tests and observations at different scales of stone vases’ samples from Crete, Levant and Egypt, we have identified the existence of technological transfers between different centres of Eastern Mediterranean, such as tubular drilling. This study also shows the existence of different behaviours in front of the introduction and selection of exogenous techniques. While some centres dissociate the shape and the style of exogenous vases, others adopt new processes and morphologies, as a whole. This work constitutes the first step towards the restitution of the history of technology as also contacts and exchange in the eastern Mediterranean.
Stone polishing techniques, a deep reaching technical innovation, appeared in the Eastern Mediter... more Stone polishing techniques, a deep reaching technical innovation, appeared in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Neolithic period and were generalised during the Bronze Age. Our team wanted to find out what specific techniques were employed but also which criteria were applied by prehistoric craftsmen to evaluate polished surfaces. Ethnographic data suggested that craftsmen used visual and haptic criteria during polishing and that apprenticeship required highly developed sensory abilities. In order to analyse these abilities, we studied traditional stone polishing at Mahabalipuram (India, Tamil Nadu) and observed, as craftsmen pointed out to us, that the more skilful ones ‘‘measure with their hands’’. The surface topography of polished samples was measured with an interferometer and a confocal rugosimeter. Polish has been identified by a multi scale analysis based on the 2D method of continuous wavelets transform (CWT). Finally, the research team considered the sensorial perception of the polish by using an ‘‘haptic tribometer’’. Using this methodology we were able to show that technical choices occurring are closely related to the colour and the texture of the surface desired, for aesthetic reasons. Coming back to the archaeological record, our team was able to identify similar types of polish: some workshops (Egypt) produced mainly smooth and mat surfaces, some others (Crete) rougher but more shiny ones. This variability suggests cultural influence on the perception of surfaces within the prehistoric eastern Mediterranean.
Kate Kelley & Rachel K. L. Wood (eds.), Digital Imaging of Artefacts: Developments in Methods and Aims, Archeopress: Oxford, 2018
The study of ancient craftsmanship requires a solid knowledge of the technology employed in the w... more The study of ancient craftsmanship requires a solid knowledge of the technology employed in the workshops. Our first source of data for the reconstitution of these technologies is provided by analysis of tool traces recorded on artefacts' surfaces. Selection of appropriate techniques of observation and recording of the technical data, adapted to the morphology and size of the tool traces, is crucial. A large quantity of digital pictures and videos can be obtained directly in the field with ultraportable devices such as the digital microscope. However, although the digital microscope is perfectly appropriate to perform a first examination of the macro-traces at low magnification, more accurate methods of observation are also required. Complementary use of tribological analyses via interferometry and morphology, and also micro-traces that cannot be detected with the digital microscope.
Alexandra Hilgner, Susanne Greiff & Dieter Quast (eds.), Gemstones in the first Millennium AD. Mines, Trade, Workshops and Symbolism, proceedings of the International Conference, Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz, 20-22 October 2015, RGZM: Mainz, 2017
This article presents the preliminary results of a multidisciplinary study of seven relief-carved... more This article presents the preliminary results of a multidisciplinary study of seven relief-carved rock crystal ewers. Two are carved with Arabic inscriptions indicating that they were made for the Fatimid caliphs of Cairo in ca. 1000 AD. The processes of manufacture are reconstructed, including the tools employed and the sequence of production. Particular attention is paid to tribological analyses of the traces of manufacture, especially from the relief carving and surface polish. Also presented are the first results of a complementary series of experiments aimed at reconstructing medieval
manufacturing processes. The homogeneity of the traces observed on the seven ewers indicates that all were produced using the same tools and processes of manufacture. That no two ewers bear identical traces suggests that they were produced by at least seven different craftsmen or workshops, all working within essentially the same tradition, most probably in Egypt in about the year 1000.
Fatimid art is known for the production of luxury artifacts, particularly rock crystal vessels. T... more Fatimid art is known for the production of luxury artifacts, particularly rock crystal vessels. The appearance in 2008 of the Francis Mills Ewer, which seemed to belong to a famous group of 6-8 rock crystal ewers attributed to Fatimid Egypt, prompted an investigation of the techniques used to carve them. A comparison of the carving technique of the Francis Mills Ewer with that of the other members of the group offers the best criterion for determining whether the new ewer belongs to this group. To this end, the traces of manufacture (mainly polishing and carving) were analysed on a group of fourteen artifacts. The topography of the surfaces has been measured with a confocal rugosimeter using silicon replicas. To identify and characterise the multi-scale wear signature and the traces left by the tools, a Fourier isotropic filtering technique was applied. Using these complementary methods, we were able to confirm that the Francis Mills Ewer belongs to the Fatimid group.
The Fatimid caliphs of the 10th- to 12th-century C.E. are well known for their patronage of luxur... more The Fatimid caliphs of the 10th- to 12th-century C.E. are well known for their patronage of luxury arts, especially carved rock crystal vessels, although the manufacturing techniques employed in their production remain largely unknown. The processes of Fatimid rock crystal carving were investigated using a multidisciplinary method based largely on: the observation at various scales of the manufacturing traces on the surface of the objects; tribological analysis; the analysis of archaeological and ethnographic data; and also experimental reconstructions of ancient techniques. These complementary methods enabled us to identify the techniques and tool-kit used by Fatimid craftsmen. The hardness of rock crystal (Mohs scale 7.0), together with its homogenous crystalline structure, makes the use of percussive tools inefficient. Instead, the crystal must be ground away using an abrasive powder and a lubricant. The mixture was carried to the surface of the crystal using different tools put in motion by a horizontal bow-lathe. It was determined that a particularly famous group of seven ewers was produced by a few specialised workshops, probably located at Fustat (Old Cairo), in about the year 1000 C.E.
This article presents the preliminary results of a multidisciplinary study of seven relief-carved... more This article presents the preliminary results of a multidisciplinary study of seven relief-carved rock crystal ewers. Two are carved with Arabic inscriptions indicating that they were made for the Fatimid caliphs of Cairo in ca. 1000 AD. The processes of manufacture are reconstructed, including the tools employed and the sequence of production. Particular attention is paid to tribological analyses of the traces of manufacture, especially from the relief carving and surface polish. Also presented are the first results of a complementary series of experiments aimed at reconstructing medieval manufacturing processes. The homogeneity of the traces observed on the seven ewers indicates that all were produced using the same tools and processes of manufacture. That no two ewers bear identical traces suggests that they were produced by at least seven different craftsmen or workshops, all working within essentially the same tradition, most probably in Egypt in about the year 1000.
The Manufacturing Techniques of Myrtos-Pyrgos Stone Vessels:
The Minoan site of Myrtos-Pyrgos ha... more The Manufacturing Techniques of Myrtos-Pyrgos Stone Vessels:
The Minoan site of Myrtos-Pyrgos has produced a wide range of Proto- and Neopalatial objects (faience, pottery, stone vessels, sealstones, etc.) that demonstrate a high level of craftsmanship and also the existence of an elite to consume them. Among the finds, the Protopalatial stone vessels show great skill in production and appear very similar to those of Quartier Mu at Malia. While the repertoire of forms is largely common to the two centres, study of the techniques used reveals particularly close links — which may suggest a regional distribution of techniques in the Cretan workshops of the time. Among the later material, the presence of fragments of Egyptian vessels (and vessels of Egyptian stone) points to likely exchanges with Egypt.
in Alexandra Hilgner, Sussane Geiff, Dieter Quast (eds.), Gemstones in the First Millennium AD: Mines, trade, workshops and symbolism, International conference, October 20th-22nd, 2015, Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz, Mainz: Verlag des Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseums, pp. 119–135.
L' Age du Bronze est la periode d'emergence des civilisations palatiales en Mediterranee ... more L' Age du Bronze est la periode d'emergence des civilisations palatiales en Mediterranee orientale et notamment en Crete, a la fin du 3e millenaire. Ce developpement conduit a l'essor des activites artisanales de luxe comme la production de vases en pierre. Grâce a un travail experimental de terrain et en laboratoire, associe a une observation du mobilier archeologique a differentes echelles, nous avons pu restituer une partie des savoir-faire employes par les artisans cretois pour la fabrication de la vaisselle de pierre. Une koine technique se degage, ainsi qu'une standardisation de la production commune faisant apparaitre des chaines operatoires de forage differentes selon la forme souhaitee. Certains procedes etrangers (forage tubulaire ou methode d'evidement) ont ete introduits a travers des contacts avec des artisans, certainement egyptiens. Mais les minoens les ont rapidement integres a des chaines operatoires locales et au profit de leur propre repertoire morphologique.
The first substantial corpus of developed and complex stone vases emerged on the Greek mainland i... more The first substantial corpus of developed and complex stone vases emerged on the Greek mainland in the shaft graves of Mycenae (Middle Helladic III – Late Helladic I) and was certainly, in large part, of Minoan origin. However, a Mycenaean industry appeared in the Late Helladic III period, which suggests a link with Minoan technology. Indeed, there is an extremely strong possibility that expatriate craftsmen had gradually transmitted their knowledge to local Mycenaean apprentices. A technological study of a corpus of 24 stone vases from Mycenae, dated to the Late Helladic I/II–III, enables the identification and reconstruction of the manufacturing processes and techniques involved in mainland production. It appears to be the case that a great part of the Mycenaean know-how derives from contact with Minoan craftsmanship. However, if a large number of technical elements (use of tubular drilling for the hollowing process, production of the vessels in several parts) may come from a Mino...
Cynthia Hahn & Avinoam Shalem (eds.), Seeking Transparency: The Medieval Rock Crystal, proceedings of the international conference, Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz, Max-Planck-Institut, Florence, Italy, 19-20 May 2017, Berlin, 2020
Laurence Astruc, François Bon, Vanessa Léa, Pierre Yves Milcent, Sylvie Philibert (eds.), Normes techniques et pratiques sociales. De la simplicité de l'outillage pré- et protohistoriques, XXVIe rencontre internationale d'archéologie et d'histoire d'Antibes, APDCA, Antibes, 2008
During the second millennium in Crete, specialised crafts use tools of a low degree of elaboratio... more During the second millennium in Crete, specialised crafts use tools of a low degree of elaboration. Through some case studies, percussion, grinding and drilling from the Quartier Mu at Malia, we aim at demonstrating that the complexity reside in a toors association during different 'chaînes opératoires'.
Laura Longo and Natalia Skakun (eds.), “Prehistoric Technology”, 40 Years Later: Functional Studies and The Russian Legacy, Proceedings of the International Congress held at Verona, 20-23 April 2005, Oxford, 2008
During the 2nd millennium BC, the period of emergence of the Minoan palaces, contacts between Cre... more During the 2nd millennium BC, the period of emergence of the Minoan palaces, contacts between Crete and eastern Mediterranean (Egypt and Near East mainly) permitted the enrichment of local crafts with important technical innovations. For example, during Middle Bronze (first part of the 2nd millennium BC), the tubular drill was introduced for the manufacture of stone vases, seals and stone beads. The reconstruction of dffirent drilling techniques aims at revealing the patterns of their introduction as well as the skills and know-how involved. The reconstruction of Minoan techniques and "chaînes opératoires" is based on: a) macroscopic analyses of artefacts from the "Craftsmen Quarter" at Malia (Quartier Mu), from the sites of Pseira and Kommos; b) microscopic analyses (interferometers, optical rugosimerers) of archaeological and experimental samples.
Tell Aswad is a Neolithic site located 30 km East-South-East from Damascus. Discovered by H. de C... more Tell Aswad is a Neolithic site located 30 km East-South-East from Damascus. Discovered by H. de Contenson, the site was sounded in 1972 and 1973. Between 2001 and 2006 it was excavated by a Franco/Syrian team. Fourteen archaeological levels were discovered, representing the three phases of the PPNB (Early PPNB horizon, Middle and Late PPNB). The funeral area described here appears to be dated to the beginning of the Late PPNB. This area was used in two stages and more than 50 individuals were buried in several different types of grave (individual, collective, primary, secondary and a combination of these). The first stage begun with the deposition of four plastered skulls.
During the Bronze Age (3000–1000 B.C.) in Crete, period of development of luxury craft production... more During the Bronze Age (3000–1000 B.C.) in Crete, period of development of luxury craft productions, new shapes of stone vases, complex and original occurred in the workshops, implying an evolution of drilling techniques. The surface of archaeological stone vases and of conical bore cores contain the signature of the mechanisms of abrasion. But which type of abrasive, bit material and lubricant has been used by prehistoric craftsmen? In order to identify abrading techniques employed we have developed a drilling tribometer. The experimental reproduction of wear traces and their comparison with archaeological ones, permitted to reveal the use of an abrasive paste inside the tubular drill.
With a study involving tribological analysis in the laboratory, experimental tests and observatio... more With a study involving tribological analysis in the laboratory, experimental tests and observations at different scales of stone vases’ samples from Crete, Levant and Egypt, we have identified the existence of technological transfers between different centres of Eastern Mediterranean, such as tubular drilling. This study also shows the existence of different behaviours in front of the introduction and selection of exogenous techniques. While some centres dissociate the shape and the style of exogenous vases, others adopt new processes and morphologies, as a whole. This work constitutes the first step towards the restitution of the history of technology as also contacts and exchange in the eastern Mediterranean.
Stone polishing techniques, a deep reaching technical innovation, appeared in the Eastern Mediter... more Stone polishing techniques, a deep reaching technical innovation, appeared in the Eastern Mediterranean during the Neolithic period and were generalised during the Bronze Age. Our team wanted to find out what specific techniques were employed but also which criteria were applied by prehistoric craftsmen to evaluate polished surfaces. Ethnographic data suggested that craftsmen used visual and haptic criteria during polishing and that apprenticeship required highly developed sensory abilities. In order to analyse these abilities, we studied traditional stone polishing at Mahabalipuram (India, Tamil Nadu) and observed, as craftsmen pointed out to us, that the more skilful ones ‘‘measure with their hands’’. The surface topography of polished samples was measured with an interferometer and a confocal rugosimeter. Polish has been identified by a multi scale analysis based on the 2D method of continuous wavelets transform (CWT). Finally, the research team considered the sensorial perception of the polish by using an ‘‘haptic tribometer’’. Using this methodology we were able to show that technical choices occurring are closely related to the colour and the texture of the surface desired, for aesthetic reasons. Coming back to the archaeological record, our team was able to identify similar types of polish: some workshops (Egypt) produced mainly smooth and mat surfaces, some others (Crete) rougher but more shiny ones. This variability suggests cultural influence on the perception of surfaces within the prehistoric eastern Mediterranean.
Kate Kelley & Rachel K. L. Wood (eds.), Digital Imaging of Artefacts: Developments in Methods and Aims, Archeopress: Oxford, 2018
The study of ancient craftsmanship requires a solid knowledge of the technology employed in the w... more The study of ancient craftsmanship requires a solid knowledge of the technology employed in the workshops. Our first source of data for the reconstitution of these technologies is provided by analysis of tool traces recorded on artefacts' surfaces. Selection of appropriate techniques of observation and recording of the technical data, adapted to the morphology and size of the tool traces, is crucial. A large quantity of digital pictures and videos can be obtained directly in the field with ultraportable devices such as the digital microscope. However, although the digital microscope is perfectly appropriate to perform a first examination of the macro-traces at low magnification, more accurate methods of observation are also required. Complementary use of tribological analyses via interferometry and morphology, and also micro-traces that cannot be detected with the digital microscope.
Alexandra Hilgner, Susanne Greiff & Dieter Quast (eds.), Gemstones in the first Millennium AD. Mines, Trade, Workshops and Symbolism, proceedings of the International Conference, Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz, 20-22 October 2015, RGZM: Mainz, 2017
This article presents the preliminary results of a multidisciplinary study of seven relief-carved... more This article presents the preliminary results of a multidisciplinary study of seven relief-carved rock crystal ewers. Two are carved with Arabic inscriptions indicating that they were made for the Fatimid caliphs of Cairo in ca. 1000 AD. The processes of manufacture are reconstructed, including the tools employed and the sequence of production. Particular attention is paid to tribological analyses of the traces of manufacture, especially from the relief carving and surface polish. Also presented are the first results of a complementary series of experiments aimed at reconstructing medieval
manufacturing processes. The homogeneity of the traces observed on the seven ewers indicates that all were produced using the same tools and processes of manufacture. That no two ewers bear identical traces suggests that they were produced by at least seven different craftsmen or workshops, all working within essentially the same tradition, most probably in Egypt in about the year 1000.
Fatimid art is known for the production of luxury artifacts, particularly rock crystal vessels. T... more Fatimid art is known for the production of luxury artifacts, particularly rock crystal vessels. The appearance in 2008 of the Francis Mills Ewer, which seemed to belong to a famous group of 6-8 rock crystal ewers attributed to Fatimid Egypt, prompted an investigation of the techniques used to carve them. A comparison of the carving technique of the Francis Mills Ewer with that of the other members of the group offers the best criterion for determining whether the new ewer belongs to this group. To this end, the traces of manufacture (mainly polishing and carving) were analysed on a group of fourteen artifacts. The topography of the surfaces has been measured with a confocal rugosimeter using silicon replicas. To identify and characterise the multi-scale wear signature and the traces left by the tools, a Fourier isotropic filtering technique was applied. Using these complementary methods, we were able to confirm that the Francis Mills Ewer belongs to the Fatimid group.
The Fatimid caliphs of the 10th- to 12th-century C.E. are well known for their patronage of luxur... more The Fatimid caliphs of the 10th- to 12th-century C.E. are well known for their patronage of luxury arts, especially carved rock crystal vessels, although the manufacturing techniques employed in their production remain largely unknown. The processes of Fatimid rock crystal carving were investigated using a multidisciplinary method based largely on: the observation at various scales of the manufacturing traces on the surface of the objects; tribological analysis; the analysis of archaeological and ethnographic data; and also experimental reconstructions of ancient techniques. These complementary methods enabled us to identify the techniques and tool-kit used by Fatimid craftsmen. The hardness of rock crystal (Mohs scale 7.0), together with its homogenous crystalline structure, makes the use of percussive tools inefficient. Instead, the crystal must be ground away using an abrasive powder and a lubricant. The mixture was carried to the surface of the crystal using different tools put in motion by a horizontal bow-lathe. It was determined that a particularly famous group of seven ewers was produced by a few specialised workshops, probably located at Fustat (Old Cairo), in about the year 1000 C.E.
This article presents the preliminary results of a multidisciplinary study of seven relief-carved... more This article presents the preliminary results of a multidisciplinary study of seven relief-carved rock crystal ewers. Two are carved with Arabic inscriptions indicating that they were made for the Fatimid caliphs of Cairo in ca. 1000 AD. The processes of manufacture are reconstructed, including the tools employed and the sequence of production. Particular attention is paid to tribological analyses of the traces of manufacture, especially from the relief carving and surface polish. Also presented are the first results of a complementary series of experiments aimed at reconstructing medieval manufacturing processes. The homogeneity of the traces observed on the seven ewers indicates that all were produced using the same tools and processes of manufacture. That no two ewers bear identical traces suggests that they were produced by at least seven different craftsmen or workshops, all working within essentially the same tradition, most probably in Egypt in about the year 1000.
The Manufacturing Techniques of Myrtos-Pyrgos Stone Vessels:
The Minoan site of Myrtos-Pyrgos ha... more The Manufacturing Techniques of Myrtos-Pyrgos Stone Vessels:
The Minoan site of Myrtos-Pyrgos has produced a wide range of Proto- and Neopalatial objects (faience, pottery, stone vessels, sealstones, etc.) that demonstrate a high level of craftsmanship and also the existence of an elite to consume them. Among the finds, the Protopalatial stone vessels show great skill in production and appear very similar to those of Quartier Mu at Malia. While the repertoire of forms is largely common to the two centres, study of the techniques used reveals particularly close links — which may suggest a regional distribution of techniques in the Cretan workshops of the time. Among the later material, the presence of fragments of Egyptian vessels (and vessels of Egyptian stone) points to likely exchanges with Egypt.
in Alexandra Hilgner, Sussane Geiff, Dieter Quast (eds.), Gemstones in the First Millennium AD: Mines, trade, workshops and symbolism, International conference, October 20th-22nd, 2015, Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz, Mainz: Verlag des Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseums, pp. 119–135.
The Bronze Age (3rd - 2nd millennia BC) saw the emergence and development of the palatial system ... more The Bronze Age (3rd - 2nd millennia BC) saw the emergence and development of the palatial system and luxury craft production in Crete. This first synthesis on the manufacturing processes of stone vessels, often considered according to morphs-stylistic approaches, opens new perspectives on the analysis of lapidary technology.
To reconstruct these techniques, the author developed an interdisciplinary method for the analysis of manufacturing traces. Experimental reconstructions of ancient processes, combined with macro- and microscopic observations and tribological analyses allowed for the identification of different manufacturing sequences for the shaping, drilling and polishing of the vessels. Several drilling techniques were employed to achieve the internal shapes of specific vases: this know-how was developed and passed on in specialised workshops. While a technical koine characterised the production, some local production areas exhibited also particularities linked to specific workshops or even “technical territories”. A series of innovations, such as the use of the tubular drill, appeared in Crete through direct contact between local and Egyptian craftsmen.
This book is for all those who are interested in the history of technology and interdisciplinary methods, but also for specialists of the Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Cet ouvrage porte sur les techniques lapidaires de l’Âge du Bronze en Crète (IIIe -IIe millénaires), phase d’émergence et de développement du système palatial et des productions artisanales de luxe. Il s’agit de la première synthèse sur la technologie des vases en pierre, qui sont le plus souvent étudiés selon des approches morpho-stylistiques. Afin de reconstituer ces techniques, l’auteur a mis en place une méthode d’analyse interdisciplinaire des traces de fabrication. Des expérimentations, des observations macro- et microscopiques, des analyses tribologiques ont permis d’identifier les diverses chaînes opératoires de mise en forme, de forage et de polissage. Différentes techniques de forages ont été conçues pour réaliser les formes intérieures de vases bien spécifiques : ces savoir-faire se développent et se transmettent au sein d’ateliers spécialisés. Si une koinè technique caractérise la production, des particularismes locaux sont liés à des ateliers spécifiques, voire à des territoires techniques.
Une série d’innovations, comme l’emploi du forage tubulaire, apparaissent en Crète grâce à des contacts directs entre artisans locaux et artisans égyptiens. À l’encontre de l’idée reçue selon laquelle les transferts techniques en Méditerranée orientale se font depuis un centre dominant vers la périphérie, la Crète pourrait avoir diffusé vers l’Égypte, à son tour, ses propres éléments techniques, comme un certain type de foret en bois.
Cet ouvrage s’adresse à tous ceux qui s’intéressent à l’histoire des techniques, aux méthodes interdisciplinaires de l’archéologie actuelle mais aussi aux spécialistes de l’âge du Bronze en Méditerranée orientale.
The Bronze Age is the period of emergence of palatial civilizations in the eastern Mediterranean ... more The Bronze Age is the period of emergence of palatial civilizations in the eastern Mediterranean and especially in Crete, at the end of the 3rd millennium BC. This development led to the rise of luxury craftsmanship, including the production of stone vessels. The Bronze Age is also characterised by the development of contacts and exchanges between the different regions of the eastern Mediterranean. In order to identify the techniques employed by the ancient craftsmen, we developed a multidisciplinary method of analysis, combining data from archaeology, ethnography, tribology and experimental archaeology. This approach is also based on an observation at different scales of the manufacturing traces still preserved on the surface of the objects. Macroscopic studies were first performed in the field, with the naked eye and at low magnification using a binocular. Next, a microscopic analysis of the surface was carried out at the Laboratory of Tribology and Systems Dynamics of the École Centrale de Lyon. We thus obtained three-dimensional images, topographic measurements of the surfaces, wear traces were then quantified using specific characterisation parameters (wavelet method). Finally, in order to identify the technical marks observed on the archaeological material, the latter was compared with a corpus of tool traces created experimentally. We analysed a corpus of 305 Minoan stone vases, made between the Early Bronze Age II to Late Bronze Age III. It was completed by the study of more than thirty Egyptian and Levantine vases attributed to the Middle and Late Bronze Age (royal tomb of Qatna in Syria). In this study were also included stone and metal tools linked to the production of stone vessels, unfinished vases, waste materials, but also figurines and pearls in stone. We first established the state of knowledge regarding these industries in the eastern Mediterranean, from the Neolithic period to the end of Bronze Age (Chapter 1). The method developed (described in Chapter 2) was applied to the study of the Minoan corpus of sites that revealed the possible presence of lapidary workshops, such as Malia (Quarter Mu and les abords nord-est du palais), Mochlos (craftsman’s quarter), Kommos and Pseira (Chapter 3). This work allowed us to revaluate the previous identifications of Minoan workshops, but also to reassess the organisation of the workshops production, the notion of technical specialisation and the socio-economic status of the craftspeople (Chapter 4).
Thus, thanks to experimental work in the field and in the laboratory, associated with an observation of the archaeological material at different scales, we were able to identify part of the know-how used by the Cretan craftsmen for the manufacture of stone vessels. A technical koine emerged for the different Minoan productions studied, as well as a standardisation of the common production, showing different drilling sequences depending on the shape to be made. It also appeared that the adoption of certain external processes (tubular drilling), were introduced through contacts with foreign craftsmen, certainly Egyptians. If these new techniques were selected and then adopted, the Minoan craftsmen quickly integrated them into local sequences of manufacture for the creation of their own morphological repertoire of vessels. Furthermore, Minoans also spread local techniques to other Aegean centres (the Greek mainland and the Cyclades) during the 2nd millennium BC.
Uploads
Papers by Elise Morero
manufacturing processes. The homogeneity of the traces observed on the seven ewers indicates that all were produced using the same tools and processes of manufacture. That no two ewers bear identical traces suggests that they were produced by at least seven different craftsmen or workshops, all working within essentially the same tradition, most probably in Egypt in about the year 1000.
The Minoan site of Myrtos-Pyrgos has produced a wide range of Proto- and Neopalatial objects (faience, pottery, stone vessels, sealstones, etc.) that demonstrate a high level of craftsmanship and also the existence of an elite to consume them. Among the finds, the Protopalatial stone vessels show great skill in production and appear very similar to those of Quartier Mu at Malia. While the repertoire of forms is largely common to the two centres, study of the techniques used reveals particularly close links — which may suggest a regional distribution of techniques in the Cretan workshops of the time. Among the later material, the presence of fragments of Egyptian vessels (and vessels of Egyptian stone) points to likely exchanges with Egypt.
manufacturing processes. The homogeneity of the traces observed on the seven ewers indicates that all were produced using the same tools and processes of manufacture. That no two ewers bear identical traces suggests that they were produced by at least seven different craftsmen or workshops, all working within essentially the same tradition, most probably in Egypt in about the year 1000.
The Minoan site of Myrtos-Pyrgos has produced a wide range of Proto- and Neopalatial objects (faience, pottery, stone vessels, sealstones, etc.) that demonstrate a high level of craftsmanship and also the existence of an elite to consume them. Among the finds, the Protopalatial stone vessels show great skill in production and appear very similar to those of Quartier Mu at Malia. While the repertoire of forms is largely common to the two centres, study of the techniques used reveals particularly close links — which may suggest a regional distribution of techniques in the Cretan workshops of the time. Among the later material, the presence of fragments of Egyptian vessels (and vessels of Egyptian stone) points to likely exchanges with Egypt.
To reconstruct these techniques, the author developed an interdisciplinary method for the analysis of manufacturing traces. Experimental reconstructions of ancient processes, combined with macro- and microscopic observations and tribological analyses allowed for the identification of different manufacturing sequences for the shaping, drilling and polishing of the vessels. Several drilling techniques were employed to achieve the internal shapes of specific vases: this know-how was developed and passed on in specialised workshops. While a technical koine characterised the production, some local production areas exhibited also particularities linked to specific workshops or even “technical territories”. A series of innovations, such as the use of the tubular drill, appeared in Crete through direct contact between local and Egyptian craftsmen.
This book is for all those who are interested in the history of technology and interdisciplinary methods, but also for specialists of the Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Cet ouvrage porte sur les techniques lapidaires de l’Âge du Bronze en Crète (IIIe -IIe millénaires), phase d’émergence et de développement du système palatial et des productions artisanales de luxe. Il s’agit de la première synthèse sur la technologie des vases en pierre, qui sont le plus souvent étudiés selon des approches morpho-stylistiques. Afin de reconstituer ces techniques, l’auteur a mis en place une méthode d’analyse interdisciplinaire des traces de fabrication. Des expérimentations, des observations macro- et microscopiques, des analyses tribologiques ont permis d’identifier les diverses chaînes opératoires de mise en forme, de forage et de polissage. Différentes techniques de forages ont été conçues pour réaliser les formes intérieures de vases bien spécifiques : ces savoir-faire se développent et se transmettent au sein d’ateliers spécialisés. Si une koinè technique caractérise la production, des particularismes locaux sont liés à des ateliers spécifiques, voire à des territoires techniques.
Une série d’innovations, comme l’emploi du forage tubulaire, apparaissent en Crète grâce à des contacts directs entre artisans locaux et artisans égyptiens. À l’encontre de l’idée reçue selon laquelle les transferts techniques en Méditerranée orientale se font depuis un centre dominant vers la périphérie, la Crète pourrait avoir diffusé vers l’Égypte, à son tour, ses propres éléments techniques, comme un certain type de foret en bois.
Cet ouvrage s’adresse à tous ceux qui s’intéressent à l’histoire des techniques, aux méthodes interdisciplinaires de l’archéologie actuelle mais aussi aux spécialistes de l’âge du Bronze en Méditerranée orientale.
In order to identify the techniques employed by the ancient craftsmen, we developed a multidisciplinary method of analysis, combining data from archaeology, ethnography, tribology and experimental archaeology. This approach is also based on an observation at different scales of the manufacturing traces still preserved on the surface of the objects. Macroscopic studies were first performed in the field, with the naked eye and at low magnification using a binocular. Next, a microscopic analysis of the surface was carried out at the Laboratory of Tribology and Systems Dynamics of the École Centrale de Lyon. We thus obtained three-dimensional images, topographic measurements of the surfaces, wear traces were then quantified using specific characterisation parameters (wavelet method). Finally, in order to identify the technical marks observed on the archaeological material, the latter was compared with a corpus of tool traces created experimentally.
We analysed a corpus of 305 Minoan stone vases, made between the Early Bronze Age II to Late Bronze Age III. It was completed by the study of more than thirty Egyptian and Levantine vases attributed to the Middle and Late Bronze Age (royal tomb of Qatna in Syria). In this study were also included stone and metal tools linked to the production of stone vessels, unfinished vases, waste materials, but also figurines and pearls in stone.
We first established the state of knowledge regarding these industries in the eastern Mediterranean, from the Neolithic period to the end of Bronze Age (Chapter 1). The method developed (described in Chapter 2) was applied to the study of the Minoan corpus of sites that revealed the possible presence of lapidary workshops, such as Malia (Quarter Mu and les abords nord-est du palais), Mochlos (craftsman’s quarter), Kommos and Pseira (Chapter 3). This work allowed us to revaluate the previous identifications of Minoan workshops, but also to reassess the organisation of the workshops production, the notion of technical specialisation and the socio-economic status of the craftspeople (Chapter 4).
Thus, thanks to experimental work in the field and in the laboratory, associated with an observation of the archaeological material at different scales, we were able to identify part of the know-how used by the Cretan craftsmen for the manufacture of stone vessels. A technical koine emerged for the different Minoan productions studied, as well as a standardisation of the common production, showing different drilling sequences depending on the shape to be made. It also appeared that the adoption of certain external processes (tubular drilling), were introduced through contacts with foreign craftsmen, certainly Egyptians. If these new techniques were selected and then adopted, the Minoan craftsmen quickly integrated them into local sequences of manufacture for the creation of their own morphological repertoire of vessels. Furthermore, Minoans also spread local techniques to other Aegean centres (the Greek mainland and the Cyclades) during the 2nd millennium BC.