East Roman Imperial Period Glass Production in Antioch of Pisidia: A Preliminary Report

Abstract

Glass finds constitute one of the largest groups among the small finds, with 16.481 piece of glass of different forms and techniques for all kinds of uses, and 780 pieces from glass production, which were unearthed during the excavations in the ancient city of Pisidian Antioch. In addition to these finds, the presence of a glass furnace showing the existence of glass production in the Eastern Roman Imperial Period layers of the city and three further areas with evidence of glass production were identified. Other than glass works, it was documented from the finds unearthed in the city in previous studies that there was the local production of ceramic, stone-working, marble-working, the production of oil lamps and metal-working also existed. In this study, the data on glass production mentioned above were brought together and it was shown with archaeological data that glass production was undertaken in Antioch in the Eastern Roman Imperial Period. Although to date, no production area from the Hellenistic or Roman Republican Periods has been identified in the city, the fact that amorphous and production waste belonging to these periods was found, and the artifacts and kilns that are the subject of this article show glass production also existed in earlier periods. With its large territorium, the city became the centre of pilgrimage for Pisidia and surrounding regions, first with the Temple and Sanctuary of the Moon God Men and later for Christianity. The data supporting a local tradition of production dating from not only to the Eastern Roman Imperial Period but also to earlier periods has been shown