Evidence from Flaws: Hellenistic Pottery Technology at Podere Funghi (Vicchio di Mugello)

Abstract

From 1996From -2006, excavators of the Mugello Valley Archaeological Project documented two important contexts for understanding Hellenistic period ceramic production at Podere Funghi near the sanctuary at Poggio Colla: a kiln-waster midden, and a series of kilns located in the vicinity of a small residential structure. This article consists of the results of a visual and metric examination of the fineware material from the midden. The examination assessed the nature and prevalence of specific firing flaws associated with the productive process, and the data derived from this study are used to reconstruct some of the technical challenges faced by the Podere Funghi potters and their firing equipment. The study documents a high prevalence of flaws associated with a rapid rise in temperature within the kiln at the beginning of firing process, while cataloguing few flaws associated with excessive sustained temperatures. This combination of flaws suggests poor pre-production drying of the wares, or the use of a fuel source that would have produced an initial high heat spike in temperature. In addition, it tells us much about craft production at satellite communities associated with large settlements, in this case, Poggio Colla.