The production centres and river network of Italian terra sigillata between the Arno and Tiber valleys: a geographical point of view

Extract

The study of ceramics – which has become almost prohibitive nowadays due to the amount of money and time it requires – still plays a fundamental rôle in the historical reconstruction of trade in the Mediterranean. Just as geology and archaeobotany allow for reconstructing ancient landscapes, and archaeozoology for reconstructing the dietary habits of ancient peoples, so the archaeology of production, with its unappealing routine of recording and classifying finds, is essential for understanding the economic dynamics of a given area. Typology, combined with appropriate archaeometric analyses of the fabric and the coating, allow for ascertaining, with a reasonable degree of surety, the provenance of vessels, and hence the ratio of imports to local products. This can make a significant contribution to the historical reconstruction of ancient economies and commercial exchange.