Technological knowledge and transfer of Roman pottery production in Civitas Nerviorum (northern France, central Belgium) during the 1st–3rd centuries CE

Abstract

Aspects of 1st to 3rd centuries CE Roman production technology and knowledge transfer in northern France and central Belgium (known as Civitas Nerviorum) were studied. To this aim, 43 pottery waste fragments from six workshops at Bavay, Pont-sur-Sambre, Blicquy, Cambrai, Les Rues-des-Vignes and Sains-du-Nord were studied macroscopically and analysed in thin section petrography and chemistry with X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. This permitted to reconstruct the production technologies employed at the six workshops, and to infer inter- and intra-site knowledge transfer. More specifically, potters at Bavay transferred their knowledge to craftsmen at Pont-sur-Sambre. The epigraphic evidence on the discarded pottery further suggests that they passed on their technological knowledge through kinship. Craftsmen at Cambrai and Les Rues-des-Vignes also appear to have shared aspects of their technological knowledge. The reconstructed technologies were then used to tentatively indicate the production location of three conspicuous types of pottery, which circulated widely within and beyond the study region but were hitherto not known from production waste contexts. To this aim, seven samples from settlement, burial and sanctuary sites at Famars, Blicquy and Sains-du-Nord were selected and analysed in thin section petrography and chemistry with X-ray fluorescence spectrometry.