Towards an Explanation of the Dearth of Ceramic Fine Wares in Cyprus and Parts of the Levant Between AD 150 and 300

Abstract

The article focuses on a rarely acknowledged cultural phenomenon – the steep decline of ceramic fine wares in parts of the Eastern Mediterranean between about AD 150 and 300 and explores possible reasons behind the dearth of these table wares, as attested through archaeological projects, in particular in Cyprus. As an explanatory model a “Product Life-Cycle Theory” is tested against available data, in conjunction with other factors such as depletion of clay supplies and timber resources.