Archaeometric approaches to the study of ancient pottery: production and consumption of ceramics in Crete from the earliest Prehistory to the Byzantine period

Eleni Nodarou

INSTAP Study Center for East Crete (Greece)

The study of archaeological ceramics encompasses two key parameters: the physical/technical aspect, which concerns the composition, manufacturing techniques and chaîne opératoire, and the social dimension, which examines the organization of production, the distribution and consumption of the final product and, most important, the role of human agency in ceramic production.

This presentation explores the fundamental principles of ceramic technology and the analytical methods employed to investigate the origins and manufacturing techniques of ancient ceramics. The primary focus is on optical microscopy (thin section petrography), with additional consideration given to elemental analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Case studies from Crete including sites of varying chronology, function, and scale illustrate the potential of this integrated multi-analytical approach to addressing diverse archaeological questions related to the study of ancient ceramics.