The Use of the Wheel in the Production of Pithoi: Preliminary Results and Lessons Learnt from Experimental Sessions

Abstract

Large earthenware storage vessels, known as pithoi, were very widespread in the Mediterranean Basin area, both in domestic and non-domestic contexts, throughout the entire Bronze Age. From a technological point of view, due to their large dimensions, the production of pithoi is very demanding and requires highly skilled and expert artisans. However, despite their large diffusion and their prominent role in resource management, pithoi have received less attention in terms of research in comparison to other types of vessels; technological studies, in particular, stand out for their relative rarity. Indeed, experimental approaches are scant, thus preventing a comprehensive understanding of the manufacturing process of pithoi. This paper presents the preliminary results of two experimental sessions dedicated to the examination of the use of the wheel in the manufacture of these large clay containers. Experimental vessels have been analysed by way of the naked eye and through X-ray analysis.