Reconstructing ancient economies
Amphorae were ancient ceramic containers, tall and roughly bottle-shaped, used for storage and transportation of food and liquids. Remains of amphorae often contain traces of the goods they once held, giving them value today as physical artefacts of ancient economies. The EU-funded AGAME project studied previously undocumented Greek amphorae found in central Europe. Using a novel combination of methods, including biomolecular archaeology, the study compared the European amphorae against others known from the north-Italian/eastern-French coast. The work permits assessment of the movement of goods across Europe, and the routes taken. Such information allows reconstruction of aspects of an ancient economy, providing particular insights into the first exchanges between the Classical world and the rest of Europe. The two-member project began in late 2010 and lasted two years. Results showed greater complexity than project researchers expected. Firstly, Greek amphorae in inland Europe were broadly spread. The distribution ranged east to west from central France to south-western Germany, and north to south from Lorrainen (north-west France) to Lyon (middle Rhone valley). Nevertheless, early-period amphorae were not located in Austria or Switzerland, and the investigation ruled out a trans-Alpine route. Apart from Greek amphorae, the study area also contained specimens from older societies, including archaic western Mediterranean or non-Massalian cultures including Etruscan and western Greek. However, amphorae from those societies were not found in the northern Adriatic. The distribution reveals a picture of trade that is difficult to represent as a diffusion map. The earliest examples date from the sixth century BCE, located around today's southern-German/French border. Examples from nearby German sites date from around the end of the sixth century BCE. Specimens from central France date from the mid fifth century BCE, while the earliest Swiss amphorae date from the late fifth century BCE. AGAME revealed a hitherto unknown complexity to early trade between Greeks and central Europeans, regarding distribution, routes and the specific goods being traded. Such information also provides valuable insights into cultural and economic aspects of the exchange.
Keywords
Ancient economies, ancient trade, amphorae, biomolecular archaeology, Greek amphorae, early trade
