The potters' marks of Phylakopi
The Bronze Age site of Phylakopi on Melos has been excavated several times, and produced a number of ~potters' marks~, small symbols incised or impressed into the clay before firing. The overall development of the site and island throughout the Bronze Age is described. Then the pottery sequence is discussed. The potters' marks are subjected to computer analysis to point up any patterns of use in terms of fabric, vessel type, location of mark, type of mark, provenance of the piece, date and find spot. This process is carried out first on the material from the most recent Phylakopi excavations (1974-77), which was the most meticulously recorded, then on the material from the earlier projects (1896-99 and 1911). The same analysis is applied to comparative material from other Bronze Age sites elsewhere in the Cyclades, Crete and the Greek Mainland. Potters' marks from other areas, periods and cultures are examined to demonstrate some of the known uses of this technique. Finally the Aegean results are compared and contrasted, to extract as much information as possible about the uses and purposes of potters' marks and what they may tell us about the ceramic industry in the Bronze Age Aegean as a whole and more specifically
Shepard Bailey, Allyson
The potters' marks of Phylakopi. The Bronze Age site of Phylakopi on Melos has been excavated several times, and produced a number of ~potters' marks~, small symbols incised or impressed into the clay before firing. The overall development of the site and island throughout the Bronze Age is described. Then the pottery sequence is discussed. The potters' marks are subjected to computer analysis to point up any patterns of use in terms of fabric, vessel type, location of mark, type of mark, provenance of the piece, date and find spot. This process is carried out first on the material from the most recent Phylakopi excavations (1974-77), which was the most meticulously recorded, then on the material from the earlier projects (1896-99 and 1911). The same analysis is applied to comparative material from other Bronze Age sites elsewhere in the Cyclades, Crete and the Greek Mainland. Potters' marks from other areas, periods and cultures are examined to demonstrate some of the known uses of this technique. Finally the Aegean results are compared and contrasted, to extract as much information as possible about the uses and purposes of potters' marks and what they may tell us about the ceramic industry in the Bronze Age Aegean as a whole and more specifically
potter mark bronze_age site excavate several time produce number marks small symbol incise impressed clay firing overall_development site island throughout bronze_age describe pottery_sequence discuss potter mark subject computer analysis point pattern use term fabric vessel type location mark type mark provenance piece date spot process carry first material recent excavations record material earlier project analysis apply comparative_material bronze_age sit elsewhere cyclades crete greek_mainland mark area period culture examine known technique finally aegean compare_contrast extract much_information possible use purpose potter mark may tell ceramic industry bronze_age aegean whole specifically