Pergamon, Türkiye. Pottery at Pergamon through the Magnifying Glass. The Work of the Years 2020 to 2023

Abstract

Ancient Pergamon met its high demand for everyday objects made of fired clay (ceramics) in the Hellenistic and Imperial periods mainly through regional workshops. In addition, imported vessels from Italy, for example, are also represented. Chemical analyses are an established method for distinguishing these from regional ceramics. Furthermore, a system was developed for the macroscopic determination of provenance in order to compare the clay characteristics under a magnifying glass and microscope. This method has proved its value in various research projects, is easy to apply for students and enables the collation of data for issues relating to the export and import of ceramics from and to Pergamon and to regional ceramic production.