Identifying Regional Pottery Production in the Roman Thrace based on Archaeometric Data. The Case Study of Yurta-Stroyno
Abstract
The vicus of Yurta-Stroyno is located along the middle stream of the Tundzha River, at the eastern part of the Roman province of Thrace, nowadays Bulgaria. Different pottery classes were retrieved from the settlement, including coarse cooking ware, fine table ware, and handmade pottery.
Samples representing the most attested shapes of these pottery classes were chosen to be analyzed via thin section petrography and WD-XRF. Additionally, geological samples up to 15 km from the settlement were collected for comparison.
In total, about 90 pottery samples and ten fired briquets produced from the collected clays were evaluated. The result show quite a small variability in the pottery fabrics and its similarity with the local geology.
For the local pottery production, modification of the used clays would be necessary, either via levigation or tempering, to produce the fine and the coarse wares. Technologically, we may notice different firing conditions for the table ware, demonstrated by the same vessels present in the red-slipped ware and the grey ware.
The same petrographic and chemical composition of these samples proves similar source(s) of clay, with the final product once being fired in the oxidising and once reducing atmosphere. A mixture of production methods is characteristic for the coarse wares, with handmade and wheel made cooking pots being in use at the same time.
Comparing the amount of the possible local production with the potential imports, the settlement seems to be dependent on the regional suppliers, combining different technological approaches for the pottery production.