Ceramic technology and cultural change in Sicily from the 6th to the 11th century AD
This thesis addresses issues of the technology and provenance of pottery from medieval Sicily (6th-11th century A.D.). The reconstruction of pottery production and consumption is undertaken in order to illuminate the social and economic effects of the influx of population and the introduction of new technologies in Sicily, in the time of transition between Byzantine and Islamic rulers. The research applies a technological interpretative framework to the study of ceramic upon material culture evidence, based up similar successful analytical approaches elsewhere in the Mediterranean. The chaiÌne opeÌratoire approach was employed to reconstruct changes and continuity in Sicilian ceramic craft, while consumption patterns were studied through the characterisation of the pottery sets in Sicilian Byzantine contexts and successive phases, to identify innovation perhaps linked to the arrival of new settlers. Petrographic analysis of entire assemblages was carried out to identify those products manufactured in Sicily as well as imported vessels. Macroscopic observation, thin section petrography, optical microscopy and SEM-EDS analysis were combined to reconstruct Sicilian production sequences. The thesis presents
Testolini, Veronica
Ceramic technology and cultural change in Sicily from the 6th to the 11th century AD. This thesis addresses issues of the technology and provenance of pottery from medieval Sicily (6th-11th century A.D.). The reconstruction of pottery production and consumption is undertaken in order to illuminate the social and economic effects of the influx of population and the introduction of new technologies in Sicily, in the time of transition between Byzantine and Islamic rulers. The research applies a technological interpretative framework to the study of ceramic upon material culture evidence, based up similar successful analytical approaches elsewhere in the Mediterranean. The chaiÌne opeÌratoire approach was employed to reconstruct changes and continuity in Sicilian ceramic craft, while consumption patterns were studied through the characterisation of the pottery sets in Sicilian Byzantine contexts and successive phases, to identify innovation perhaps linked to the arrival of new settlers. Petrographic analysis of entire assemblages was carried out to identify those products manufactured in Sicily as well as imported vessels. Macroscopic observation, thin section petrography, optical microscopy and SEM-EDS analysis were combined to reconstruct Sicilian production sequences. The thesis presents
ceramic_technology cultural_change sicily address_issue technology provenance pottery medieval sicily th__century reconstruction pottery_production consumption undertaken_order illuminate social_economic effect influx population introduction_new technology sicily time transition byzantine islamic ruler applies technological interpretative_framework study ceramic upon material_culture evidence base similar successful analytical_approach elsewhere mediterranean chaiine_opeiratoire employ reconstruct change_continuity sicilian ceramic craft consumption_pattern study characterisation pottery set sicilian byzantine context successive phase identify innovation perhaps link arrival new settler petrographic analysis entire assemblage carry identify product manufacture sicily well import vessel macroscopic observation thin_section_petrography optical_microscopy sem_eds analysis combine reconstruct sicilian production_sequence present