Terres cuites architecturales de Sinope de l’époque archaïque à l’époque hellénistique

Abstract

AbstractArchitectural Terracottas of the Archaic to the Hellenistic Period from SinopeDecorated architectural terracottas held in the Sinope Museum are re-examined here from several angles: techniques of manufacture, combinations of different series on one and the same building, importing of models, export of these exclusively local products to cities of the North Pontic region, style and chronology. Reconsidered so as to take into account all significant features, this form of production ‐ recorded from as early as the 6th century BC ‐ provides some continuation of the ‘Milesian’ tradition, which was widespread in the North of the Aegean and in the poleis of the Black Sea region. Yet, from the second quarter of the 4th century BC onwards, this production also manifests real originality of its own. Sinope would, however, probably not have developed its own style, if it had not received specific orders from Panticapaeum and the main cities of the Bosporan Kingdom. After gradually being deprived of this stimulus for production towards 300 BC, the workshop in Sinope quickly lost its impressive reputation, even though the volume of its tile production remained considerable. From all points of view, it would appear to have been subject to the political and economic vicissitudes experienced by its clients.