Uncovering the Local Economy: A Ceramic Analysis of Exotic and Local Amphorae at Salemi, Sicily

Summary

Sicily has long been a hotbed of archaeological activity. During the Late Iron Age, Greek, Roman, Punic, and indigenous Elymi groups were involved in a complex network of trade and exchange. At the site of Salemi in western Sicily, there is evidence of participation in a widespread Mediterranean sphere of exchange. For this research, sourcing studies were conducted on transport amphorae to measure the degree of foreign influence on the local economy of Salemi. Preliminary data collected in the summer of 2013 from multiple units suggested that the amphorae were produced locally. Initial pXRF analysis revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the chemical composition across samples. These preliminary results will be used as a pilot study for dissertation research which will aim to identify the technology used to construct the amphorae in hopes of identifying the groups responsible for manufacturing the vessels. Identifying the technology and production groups is both valuable and necessary in determining whether or not the Elymi were playing an active role in the local economy or if the economy was being controlled by the much larger Greek, Roman, or Punic groups.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

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