A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. The ‘Archaeology of Gesture’: Apprenticeship, Tools, Hands, Organization, Collaborations, Learning Experience and Social Network Analysis

Project Information

AGATHOCLES

Grant agreement ID: 893629

DOI

10.3030/893629

Project closed

EC signature date 12 October 2020

Start date 1 October 2021

End date 30 September 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 269 002,56

EU contribution

€ 269 002,56

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TORINO
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - AGATHOCLES (A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. The ‘Archaeology of Gesture’: Apprenticeship, Tools, Hands, Organization, Collaborations, Learning Experience and Social Network Analysis)

Reporting period: 2023-10-01 to 2024-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. aimed to investigate ancient production technology related to the Greek red-figure vase production through in-depth analyses on the ancient hidden artisanal gestures such as fingerprints, way of applying miltos (a sort of red engobe) on the vase, the sequence of the different coatings, marks left by the different brushes. New diagnostic techniques allow us to observe from a micro and a mid-scale point of view the thickness of black gloss and how it was applied on the vase surface, as well as the overpainting and the preliminary sketches. The focus on the manufacturing-process is crucial as to understand the ‘transmission-flow’ and its direction from an unusual point of view: that of the invisible clues related to the “migration” of the artisanal knowledge and skills, and not only from the displacement of artefacts themselves. For all of these purposes the computational imaging techniques (Portable digital microscope, RTI, Photogrammetry) are crucial to in-depth study the real ‘sequence of gestures’ of the vase-painters involved within a specific workshop. In particular, it seems very likely that the Western (=Magna Graecia and Sicily) red-figure vase production system have had a strong interregional mobility of vase-painters that usually moved to a new existing local workshop for a temporary ‘work agreement’. This is the reason why the combination of modern diagnostic analyses on technology with the application of some tools coming from the Digital Humanities is fundamental. The Social Network Analysis (=SNA) applied on an archaeological case-study – that of the local red-figure pottery production in Magna Graecia and Sicily – allowed to develop a new sociogram that maps artisanal relationships within the South Italian red-figure workshops, providing an innovative panoramic view never seen before for this artisanal production. Starting from the “vertices” sheet, we will be able to clearly identify the most central nodes, and also specify what their prominence consists of; whether it is prestige, activity, brokerage capacity, or a combination thereof. Thus, both from a micro and a macro scale perspective, the project is increasingly able to redefine the ancient social and production dynamics of the Greek artisans operating in Sicily and Southern Italy in the fifth and fourth century BCE.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

A training on RTI and photogrammetry was carried out thanks to the support of a professional photographer in Turin (during Secondment).
A very careful selection of the vases has been made and all the operating permissions have been requested to the Soprintendenze. They constitute the test-case and the main core of the project. During various stays in Sicily (and Zurich), it was possible to collect more than 70 samples for the archaeometric analyses. Moreover, some samples from Locri Epizephyrii (Magna Graecia) were already available. In Tucson, at the University of Arizona, we focused on the training related to the SNA (Social Network Analysis), working with softwares that allow me to develop the new planned sociogram. The other scientific approach developed at the UA was related to the experimental archaeological sessions. The main goal was to create “analogies” between what we have observed by computational imaging and through all the diagnostic activities focused on the pottery technology, and the replicas of some procedures (and objects) we have made thanks to the experimental archaeology. Moreover, we organized an International Conference (held in Turin), two editions of the International Webinar Series, and the Workshop and the Scientific Colloquium related to the experimental archaeology, held in Tucson in 2023. In Bari (Italy), Dep. of Chemistry (Secondment), we worked on the samples collected and analyzed them with SEM-EDS and Laser Ablation, which allow us to obtain in-depth information related to the clay technology. Particularly, Sicilian ad Paestan ancient red-figure ateliers were probably involved in some intriguing dynamics of mobility/migration (of painters).The ingoing period in Italy was mostly focused to the implementation of the data coming from the diagnostic research activities lead in Syracuse (Jan 2024), where a new set of RTI and images from digital microscopes has been developed. A special focus was dedicated to the fingerprints that at this round have been recognized much better and with some clearly visible traces on few new vases analyzed. A further step related to the experimental archaeological sessions provided new insights on the technological processes followed by the ancient craftspeople involved in the red-figured vase industry and the collaboration with R. Paolini further implemented also the exploitation's and dissemination's activities (e.g. Conference with live-painting in Syracuse and the temporary exhibition with the vase's replica together with the original one). Moreover the archaeometric analysis provided important information that have been combined together with the other approaches developed. An important international volume hosted three papers where the project was the main scientific focus.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Within the project, the combination of archaeological knowledge, archaeometric analysis and experimental archaeology is unique and it is proving to be a very fruitful methodological approach to achieve important results in technological studies of ancient pottery.
In particular, the involvement of an artisan with profound skills and knowledge of ancient artisanal techniques and workshop’s procedures has been fundamental.This allowed us to reach out very significant scientific results. We have been able to suggest one of the most complete and, for sure, the most integrated picture related to the ancient technological issues of the red-figure vase production. Impacts to the scientific community and beyond can already be glimpsed: the International Webinar series, the International Conference and the Workshop were very important occasion to share the results, and to reach out a wider audience with a new way of communicate scientific results such as the “re-humanization” of the past.The progress beyond the state of the art has gone beyond all expectations: technological new insights coming from the new set of RTI, combined with the new experimental archaeological sessions and archaeometric analysis confirmed the existence of difference technological procedures for different workshops and it is possibile to check their movements/migration following their specific savoir-faire, which is something crucial for the future steps of the research-studies in this field. The little exhibition, organized at the Archaeological Museum in Syracuse, together with the Conference and the live-painting, to raise awareness a wider attendance, was a paradigmatic example of the impact of the project also within the Italian Public Museum System. Again, at the EU Research Night in Sept. 2024, the speech, with a focus on the new data coming from the collection of fingerprints, generated a very enthusiastic reaction within the people attended it. More in general, it was evident how an in-depth study on technological details related to ancient artifacts can be explained and narrated in a very efficient way thanks to the contribution of the experimental archaeology which can open new ways of dissemination strategies also in Museum institutions, with a wider cultural and societal impact, as this project has well demonstrated.

A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. and outreach activities

Official Logo of the A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. Project

A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. in Tucson with US Supervisor