Hidden in the clay. Unveiling the tradition of handmade pottery in Roman Thrace through an integrated analytical approach

Dados Bibliográficos

ID24140010
AutoresPetra Tušlová (0000-0002-9744-1907, Charles University, autor correspondente), Silvia Amicone (0000-0001-8237-7044, University College London, autor correspondente), Veronika Brychová (0000-0002-3624-2955, Czech Academy of Sciences, Nuclear Physics Institute, autor correspondente), Richard Thér (0000-0001-6253-5148, University of Hradec Králové, autor correspondente), Noémi S Müller (0000-0002-8767-1784, British School at Athens, autor correspondente), Karolína Králová (0000-0002-4582-5079, University of Hradec Králové, autor correspondente), Martina Kohoutková (0000-0003-2815-3685, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, autor correspondente), Evangelia Kiriatzi (0000-0001-6631-2670, British School at Athens, autor correspondente)
Ano2026
Volume18
Fascículo9
Data de publicação2026-09-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoArchaeological and Anthropological Sciences (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1866-9557 • E-ISSN: 1866-9565
EditoraSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s12520-026-02543-0
OpenAlexW7204272646
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas45

Handmade pottery is among the most enduring yet least understood ceramic traditions of Roman Thrace. Long regarded as a simple household craft and primarily interpreted as a marker of local “Thracian” identity, it has rarely been examined as a dynamic cultural practice. To address this gap, this study adopts an integrated multidisciplinary approach to investigate handmade pottery from rural settlements along the Tundzha River in the Roman province of Thrace, focusing on its production, circulation, and use. Petrographic, mineralogical, and chemical analyses identified three distinct ceramic fabrics linked to local clay sources, enabling the reconstruction of regional production zones. Each settlement yielded both locally produced and imported vessels, demonstrating the coexistence of localized production and regional pottery circulation. Notably, all imported vessels originated from the same area of Monastery Heights, approximately 40 km away. Micro-CT analysis of representative samples from all three ceramic fabrics revealed a shared sequential slab-building technique and two interchangeable methods of handle attachment, indicating a common technological tradition across the region. Together, the evidence points to small-scale, decentralized ceramic production based on locally available raw materials. Organic residue analysis indicates that the vessels were primarily used for storing and preparation of animal meat and/or fat, while the presence of beeswax suggests deliberate surface coating. Collectively, these findings reveal a resilient regional craft tradition that persisted within the Roman provincial landscape and indicate that the regional circulation of these vessels was driven by their specialized function.

Archaeological science · Craft · Human settlement · Pottery · Settlement (finance) · Weaving · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis