Reconstructing production technology and distribution, using thin section petrography: A pilot study of Roman pottery production in the Pontine region, Central Italy

Abstract

This paper explores aspects of production and distribution of local Roman pottery from the Pontine region, Central Italy, based on ceramics recovered in surveys carried out within the ‘Minor Centres’ project. The aim of this project was to investigate the role of minor centres in local economies of Roman Central Italy. Ceramic fabrics from waster pottery, recovered from three such centres and one rural site, were studied in thin section, and compared with pottery from consumption sites in the area. This study was complemented by clay prospection, which was carried out with the aim to identify potential clay sources used for Roman pottery production. The results show that the local pottery at each site is characterised by a unique compositional signature, and demonstrate that potters in the Pontine region exploited local raw materials. Furthermore, the results indicate that local products were distributed within a radius of 25km, and that the ‘Roman’ traditions of paste preparation, as identified in this study, appear to result from long-lived traditions of paste preparation techniques.