Coats of many colours : dyeing and dyeworks in Classical and Hellenistic Greece
In the past, craft production in Classical and Hellenistic Greece has been studied mainly from a technological or social perspective. On the other hand, the study of ancient economies has largely neglected the role of craft production in favour of issues such as the nature of ancient economies, mechanisms for the exchange of goods, and the roles of agricultural production and slavery in economic activity. In this study I hope to redress this by looking at dyeing activity from an economic and social perspective. I have used a range of archaeological and historical evidence to build up a picture of the way dyeing (and by extension craft production) fitted into the subsistence strategies of the Classical and Hellenistic Greek household. The range of ingredients used, including dyes, fibres and chemical substances, and the nature of the processes carried out by ancient Greek dyers, are discussed. A methodology for the identification of dyeing activity in the archaeological record is proposed. Following a discussion of previous approaches to the study of ancient economic activity, a framework for the study of craft production in its economic and social context is also proposed. The evidence for dyeing activity
Monaghan, Mark
Coats of many colours : dyeing and dyeworks in Classical and Hellenistic Greece. In the past, craft production in Classical and Hellenistic Greece has been studied mainly from a technological or social perspective. On the other hand, the study of ancient economies has largely neglected the role of craft production in favour of issues such as the nature of ancient economies, mechanisms for the exchange of goods, and the roles of agricultural production and slavery in economic activity. In this study I hope to redress this by looking at dyeing activity from an economic and social perspective. I have used a range of archaeological and historical evidence to build up a picture of the way dyeing (and by extension craft production) fitted into the subsistence strategies of the Classical and Hellenistic Greek household. The range of ingredients used, including dyes, fibres and chemical substances, and the nature of the processes carried out by ancient Greek dyers, are discussed. A methodology for the identification of dyeing activity in the archaeological record is proposed. Following a discussion of previous approaches to the study of ancient economic activity, a framework for the study of craft production in its economic and social context is also proposed. The evidence for dyeing activity
many colour classical_hellenistic greece past craft_production classical_hellenistic greece study mainly technological social perspective hand study ancient_economy largely_neglected role craft_production favour issue nature ancient_economy mechanisms exchange good roles agricultural_production slavery economic_activity study hope redress look activity economic_social perspective use range archaeological_historical evidence build_picture way extension craft_production fit subsistence_strategy classical_hellenistic greek household range ingredient use include fibre chemical substance nature process carry ancient_greek discuss identification activity archaeological_record propose following discussion previous_approach study ancient economic_activity framework study craft_production economic_social context also_propose evidence activity