Supervisors info:
Πλάτων Ελευθέριος
Αναπλ. Καθηγητής Προϊστορικής Αρχαιολογίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας
Μαντζουράνη Ελένη
Καθηγήτρια Προϊστορικής Αρχαιολογίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας
Παπαδάτος Ιωάννης
Αναπλ.Καθηγητής Προϊστορικής Αρχαιολογίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας
Summary:
The examination of utilitarian pottery could contribute to the understanding of trade on Crete and as a result it could help with the understanding of a site’s or region’s economic role throughout the island. Researchers, coducting studies in this field face difficulties related to the poor conservation of utilitarian pottery. This, mainly, conserns sites that had been excavated in the first half of 20th century A.D. Another matter, concerns the fact that only few studies of this type of pottery have been conducted. This work concentrates on analysing existing petrographic studies, in conjuction with visual examination studies, where available. Firstly, was analysed the economic control centers of large regions, and secondly was analysed smaller centers that trade pottery, too. Through this examination, previous observations in research, which are related to the division of Crete into peripheries, have been confirmed. Moreover, the existance of workshops which are located around a big center, as well as the relative autonomy of the smaller ones, has been confirmed through bibliography. Considering the fact that these might be under the control of the same control center, it is suggested that their autonomy may, but not only, occure through specialization of production of utilitarian pottery and their distribution in other sites. Nevertheless, more studies and petrographic analysis are needed to produced and the focus of the current study should be shifted from palaces to these smaller centers.
Keywords:
utilitarian pottery, coarse ware, trade, petrographic analysis, Crete, economic centers
