Ceramic production and distribution in protopalatial Crete : technological, economic and social perspectives
Excavations twenty five years ago at the sites of Quartier Mu (Mallia), and Myrtos Pyrgos revealed extensive pottery deposits datable to the Middle Minoan IIB phase of the Protopalatial period. The fine ceramics of the village site of Myrtos Pyrgos are very similar to those at the palatial site of Mallia. Other sites in East Crete, such as Gournia and Vasiliki, also share the same fine pottery styles. These patterns of ceramic stylistic regionalism have been interpreted by various scholars as evidence for an early state centred on the palatial site of Mallia. Yet basing such political interpretations almost exclusively on ceramic stylistic regionalism is a problematic process; ethnoarchaeological work suggests that cultural units thus reconstructed need not tally with units of economic or political activity. As such they do not tell us a great deal about the dynamic economic workings of an early state. Using pottery as a source of information on such economic processes (production and distribution) requires a fresh analytical perspective. As technology is here differently perceived than in most Minoan ceramic studies, I consider it an impo1tant part of this thesis to build up a detailed picture of the nature
Knappett, Carl James
Archaeology
Ceramic production and distribution in protopalatial Crete : technological, economic and social perspectives. Excavations twenty five years ago at the sites of Quartier Mu (Mallia), and Myrtos Pyrgos revealed extensive pottery deposits datable to the Middle Minoan IIB phase of the Protopalatial period. The fine ceramics of the village site of Myrtos Pyrgos are very similar to those at the palatial site of Mallia. Other sites in East Crete, such as Gournia and Vasiliki, also share the same fine pottery styles. These patterns of ceramic stylistic regionalism have been interpreted by various scholars as evidence for an early state centred on the palatial site of Mallia. Yet basing such political interpretations almost exclusively on ceramic stylistic regionalism is a problematic process; ethnoarchaeological work suggests that cultural units thus reconstructed need not tally with units of economic or political activity. As such they do not tell us a great deal about the dynamic economic workings of an early state. Using pottery as a source of information on such economic processes (production and distribution) requires a fresh analytical perspective. As technology is here differently perceived than in most Minoan ceramic studies, I consider it an impo1tant part of this thesis to build up a detailed picture of the nature
ceramic_production distribution protopalatial crete technological economic_social perspective excavations site reveal extensive pottery deposit datable middle minoan phase protopalatial period fine ceramic village site similar palatial site site east crete also share fine pottery_style pattern ceramic stylistic regionalism interpret various scholar evidence early state centre palatial site yet base political interpretation almost_exclusively ceramic stylistic regionalism problematic process ethnoarchaeological work suggest cultural unit thus reconstruct need unit economic_political activity tell great_deal dynamic economic working early state using pottery source_information economic process production_distribution require fresh analytical perspective technology differently perceive minoan ceramic_study consider part build detailed_picture nature