Ceramics production and trade in Western Anatolia: A reexamination of the ceramic mould-making process at Seyitömer Höyük in Kütahya, Turkey

Summary

During the Early Bronze Age at Seyitömer Höyük, ceramics began to be standardized in their shape and size through the use of a mould-making process. Evidence from the archaeological record suggests that this innovative technique was incorporated at the site due to the increase in trade and demand for ceramics from other settlements in Anatolia, from nearby Küllüoba to faraway Troy. The early use of a mould-making process established Seyitömer Höyük’s pivotal role as a ceramic hub and trading center. This paper provides an overview of the evidence for ceramic production and trade at the site; and reexamines the current theory of how moulds were utilized. Using ceramics housed at the Kütahya Archaeological Museum and Dumlupınar University Archaeological Museum, we analyze how moulds were employed to create an abundance of ceramics and propose a new theory detailing this seminal production process.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16619