A late antique ceramic workshop complex: evidence for workshop organisation at Sagalassos (southwest Turkey)

Abstract

Sites of ceramic production have been discovered throughout the area that was once the Roman Empire; as a result, it is becoming increasingly clear that this industry was, in the Roman and late antique worlds, organised in numerous ways. In consideration of the organisational diversity in ceramic production attested during the period, this article presents some of the findings from the excavations of a late antique complex of ceramic workshops at the site of Sagalassos in order to consider archaeological evidence in terms of, not only the organisation of the manufacturing process, but also structures of workshop decision-making. Several lines of archaeological evidence are outlined, and argue for a model of independent work units integrated into a larger organisational structure of decision-making, and possibly even ownership, across the complex. In addition, the motivation to invest in a multi-workshop complex during the late antique period at Sagalassos is contextualised within the wider history of local and regional economic development.

Intramuros: Investigating Relations between Cross-Industry Practices and Networks through Sixth-CenturyadSagalassos

“…A deposit of worked bone waste was found in a room of the Macellum, suggesting a possible workplace in the vicinity sometime in the mid fifth to late sixth century (Richard and Kiremitçi 2006) and a large oven was found in another room of the building. Sixth century limekilns were found in a variety of locales, including in front of and within the North-East Building of the Upper Agora (Uleners and Altay 2009), and lime burning was documented in some of the pottery kilns in the Eastern Suburbium (Murphy and Poblome 2016). An early seventh century limekiln was also found in an atrium of what had been a large elite mansion (nearby sections of which had already been renovated for use as a hostel) (Uytterhoeven 2009: 442;Uytterhoeven et al 2014: 376).…”

“…Moving In: From pottery to lime kilns Some sets of relations between industries are also seen in chronological and spatial terms; for example, in consecutive occupation of workspace. This is most apparent in a ceramic workshop complex located in the Eastern Suburbium of the city (Murphy and Poblome 2016). This complex was composed of at least four architecturally independent workshop units operating into the sixth century.…”

Evaluating the Environmental Kuznets Curves through Archaeological Data: A Conceptual and Theoretical Framework

“…Large workshops, e.g. pottery workshops, are known from several locations, such as Sagalassos (Murphy and Poblome 2016;. These workshops tended not to grow in size past a certain point, instead, it seems that these kinds of industries grew horizontally, adding new small workshops rather than enlarging existing ones beyond a certain point (Murphy 2017).…”