Energetics of Potters and Painters in the Athenian Industry of Decorated Ceramics (600-400 BC)

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Scholars have long debated the size of workforce in a niche industry of decorated ceramics in ancient Athens (600-400 BC) by using a variety of proxies mostly relying on the finished products themselves. In this paper I offer a bottom-up approach by calculating the time investment involved in potting and painting decorated wares. Far from a sprint race, the chaîne opératoire was an endurance endeavor with an eye to maintaining the health of the craft practitioners, minimizing their risks, and maximizing their profits through guaranteed sales. The energetics of ceramic artisans were fully embedded in their ceramic ecology for optimal collection of clay and fuel, drying time requirements, and animal hair collection for their slip brushes. Based on interviews and experimental sessions with practicing potters and painters, I estimated the energetics for producing three wheel-thrown vessels used in ancient symposia: a drinking cup (kylix), a storage vessel for wine (amphora), and a mixing bowl for wine (crater). These shapes vary considerably in size, curvatures, extent of decorated surfaces, and differentiation of technique and composition leading to insights on how different sectors of the Athenian ceramic industry invested their time and resources.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2024: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 40262.0