Silent Witnesses: The Evidence of Domestic Wares of the 13th-19th Centuries in Paphos, Cyprus, for Local Economy and Social Organisation

Abstract

The aim of the thesis is to identify long-term patterns in local economy and social processes at the site of Fabrika, using coarse ware, the pottery of food processing and storage, as an interpretative tool. I chose to focus on domestic utility ware, because I believe it is an under- utilised resource in late historical periods for studying local economy and social organisation. I aim to demonstrate that an in-depth analysis of coarse ware will shed light on aspects of life that the more prestigious artefacts in the archaeological record do not reflect well, and on which documents are usually silent. The site at Fabrika has a history that spans the 4th century BC to the 19th century AD. The thesis deals with the last phase of the site – the occupation of the Medieval and post-Medieval periods between the 13th and the 19th century. More specifically, this thesis comprises an analysis of the coarse ware on site: utilitarian vessels used in the daily preparation and storage of food. Study of the Byzantine period and beyond in Cyprus has concentrated mainly in the hands of historians and art historians. Until the last four or five years, only a few large Medieval sites have been the subject of particular study, notably the castles of Saranda Kolones and of Kolossi, and the site of Kouklia. As far as the ceramic of the period is concerned, the studies so far concentrated on the glazed fine wares, and there has never been a systematic attempt to establish a chronological framework to the coarse ware of the period. The second aim of this thesis is therefore to establish a preliminary chronology for this ware, and make it usable as an interpretative tool for future study.