ON THE TRAIL OF THE ENIGMA AMPHORA: FOLLOWING THE FLOW OF MIDDLE BYZANTINE CERAMIC CONTAINERS

This paper sets out to present a general discussion of the distribution of one specific amphora type, presented here as the 'Enigma Amphora' (as it has currently many different confusing names), in the Byzantine world. The focus will be on finds of this amphora type at various key sites (t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inArcheologia medievale Vol. 45; p. 77
Main Author Vroom, Joanita
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Italian
Published Florence Archeologia Medievale 01.01.2018
Subjects
Archaeology
Attorneys
Byzantine civilization
Ceramics
Medieval period
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Summary:This paper sets out to present a general discussion of the distribution of one specific amphora type, presented here as the 'Enigma Amphora' (as it has currently many different confusing names), in the Byzantine world. The focus will be on finds of this amphora type at various key sites (the most prominent of which is Ephesus) as well as at shipwrecks (e.g., at Mjlet) in the eastern Mediterranean and in the Adriatic Sea region. The distribution of the Enigma Amphora sheds new light on land and maritime transport patterns in Byzantium around the 10th-12th centuries CE. This results in questions such as: how much was the trade of this Enigma Amphora local, regional or inter-regional; and can we map these distribution patterns in a structured way, following the flow of this amphora type across the Mediterranean? It is proposed that the mapping of the Enigma Amphora will eventually lead to a solid hypothesis about its place of origin.
ISSN:0390-0592