Exploring Diversity in Household Pottery Traditions in Crusader Greece: a Case Study from the City of Thebes, Boeotia

Abstract

This paper provides new data on an under‐documented topic in Aegean archaeology, that of the impact of Latin–Greek cohabitation on craftsmanship, socio‐economic organization and household pottery traditions. The chosen approach is a petrographic study of the provenance and technology of 37 cooking pots, jugs, basins and storage jars from the city of Thebes, Boeotia. The ceramics span from the late 12th to the mid‐14th century and thereby cover the periods of Byzantine, Frankish and Catalan control over the city. The analysis indicates that most pottery products were not locally made during these periods. Pottery consumption at Thebes involved, in the 12th/13th century, regional products from northern Boeotia, while pottery supplies from Euboea that had developed under Byzantine rule continued into the 14th century, well after Boeotia and Euboea came into the hands of, respectively, Frankish and Venetian lords in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade (1204). The petrographic analysis also allows for the characterization of Byzantine and Latin tempering practices of the pottery fabrics. These results highlight phenomena of regional economic reliance in central Greece and provide rare evidence for the cross‐cultural diffusion of technological knowledge in the late medieval Mediterranean.

Regional and interregional networks of ancient Eleon during the early 12th century BCE as seen from the petrographic and neutron activation analyses of pottery

“…Although cherts and sandstones can be found in many regions of Greece, they are also common in the general area of Thebes (Hilditch et al, 2008, p. 265; Liard et al, 2019, pp. 20–21).…”

“…As in the case of Red TCFs PFG, although not particularly diagnostic, the set of inclusions in chert and serpentinite PFG does not exclude regional Boeotian provenance for this group (Hilditch et al, 2008, p. 265; Liard et al, 2019, p. 21).…”

Formation of Community Character through Cultural Recollections in Ceramics: Insights from Dayaks in Indonesia

“…Another distinction lies in the preservation of ancestral values in constructing identity for the community (Pintossi, 2023). This previous statement differs from the concept of cultural values related to ancestral heritage in the practice of art, appreciation, and function, thereby forming characteristics of confidence, care, and honesty (Liard, 2019;Feslová et al, 2023). However, there is a similarity in character formation through the meaning of art in applying the prevailing norms in several regions (Marini et al, 2020).…”

“…This differs from the symbolic formation of environmental identity related to an area's icon through ceramic art forms (Subiyantoro, 2023). Another distinction lies in the symbolism found in ceramic art, serving as a creative means of communication to provide understanding of life for people (Liard, 2019). However, the importance of cultural recollection lies in transforming memory into an experience that can be narrated as knowledge (Ahmed, 2023).…”

“…There are three crucial aspects that emphasize the significance of cultural recollection activities involving Dayak ceramics in character formation. First, some studies emphasize the utilitarian function of ceramics (Liard, 2019), as well as the symbolic meaning found in the various decorations of ceramics (Triyanto, 2019;Casta et al, 2021;Lambert, 2023). Second, there are several studies regarding the process of recollection through cultural acculturation and preservation in art objects (Miller, 2020;Montayev et al, 2023;Triatmodjo et al, 2023).…”