Periodic Reporting for period 1 - 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)
Período documentado: 2021-10-01 hasta 2023-09-30
A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. aims 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, Reflectance Transformation Imaging, 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 A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. 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.
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, Reflectance Transformation Imaging, 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 A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. 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.
A training related to the RTI (Reflectance Transformation Imaging) and photogrammetry was carried out thanks to the support of a professional photographer in Turin (during the first 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 (South Calabria – Magna Graecia) were already available.
In Tucson, Arizona – at the University of Arizona (=UA), we focused on the training related to the SNA (Social Network Analysis), working with softwares that allow me to develop the new planned sociogram. SNA is a toolbox related to the Digital Humanities which can support the study of relationships between entities, and in this case, between ancient artisans. A sociogram has been created, converting written text and vocabularies in ties. From more than 3000 pages and 11 volumes the social vocabulary and the qualitative terms used by A.D. Trendall and A. Cambitoglou have been considered.
Focusing more and more on the technological procedure of these ancient vase painters, 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, in this period we also focused on the organization and the performance of the International Conference “Technology, Crafting and Artisanal Networks in the Greek and Roman World. Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Ceramics” (held in Turin), two editions of the A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. International Webinar Series (with the participation of international guest lecturer from all over the world), and the Workshop and the Scientific Colloquium related to the experimental archaeology, held in Tucson, Arizona in 2023.
In Bari (Italy), Department of Chemistry (Secondment), we worked on the samples collected and analyzed them with SEM-EDS and Lases Ablation, which allow us to obtain in-depth information related to the clay technology and the different technological “recipes” (especially for the clay body and the black gloss) used by various workshops among Southern Italy. Particularly, in light of the samples collected, all of these data can contribute for a better definition of some very peculiar Sicilian ad Paestan ancient red-figure ateliers probably involved in some intriguing dynamics of mobility/migration (of painters).
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 (South Calabria – Magna Graecia) were already available.
In Tucson, Arizona – at the University of Arizona (=UA), we focused on the training related to the SNA (Social Network Analysis), working with softwares that allow me to develop the new planned sociogram. SNA is a toolbox related to the Digital Humanities which can support the study of relationships between entities, and in this case, between ancient artisans. A sociogram has been created, converting written text and vocabularies in ties. From more than 3000 pages and 11 volumes the social vocabulary and the qualitative terms used by A.D. Trendall and A. Cambitoglou have been considered.
Focusing more and more on the technological procedure of these ancient vase painters, 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, in this period we also focused on the organization and the performance of the International Conference “Technology, Crafting and Artisanal Networks in the Greek and Roman World. Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Ceramics” (held in Turin), two editions of the A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. International Webinar Series (with the participation of international guest lecturer from all over the world), and the Workshop and the Scientific Colloquium related to the experimental archaeology, held in Tucson, Arizona in 2023.
In Bari (Italy), Department of Chemistry (Secondment), we worked on the samples collected and analyzed them with SEM-EDS and Lases Ablation, which allow us to obtain in-depth information related to the clay technology and the different technological “recipes” (especially for the clay body and the black gloss) used by various workshops among Southern Italy. Particularly, in light of the samples collected, all of these data can contribute for a better definition of some very peculiar Sicilian ad Paestan ancient red-figure ateliers probably involved in some intriguing dynamics of mobility/migration (of painters).
Within the A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. 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 for the project’s part related to the experimental archaeology. Since all of these artisanal abilities, in combination with the ancient techniques, are very rare today, the guest artist involved in the AGATHOCLES project is perhaps the one of the few artists in the word who can combine his ability and our archaeological knowledge related to the artefacts themselves, and this allowed us to reach out very significant scientific results.
Archaeometric analysis are still being processed but some preliminary data are very intriguing. We expect the contribution of the archaeometric information will integrate some of the main technological aspects we already investigated throught the computationa imaging and the experimental archaeology. With all of this information, we will be 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 preliminary results, and to reach out a wider audience with a new way of communicate scientific results such as the “re-humanization” of the past through the experimental archaeology and the possibility of showing an artisan working like an ancient craftsman (with likely ancient tools, ancient techniques, ancient procedures and ancient gestures). This kind of dissemination strategy can also be applied within a Museum, during some special events, and in the next few months the A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. project intends to activate a test-case related to this possibility.
In particular, the involvement of an artisan with profound skills and knowledge of ancient artisanal techniques and workshop’s procedures has been fundamental for the project’s part related to the experimental archaeology. Since all of these artisanal abilities, in combination with the ancient techniques, are very rare today, the guest artist involved in the AGATHOCLES project is perhaps the one of the few artists in the word who can combine his ability and our archaeological knowledge related to the artefacts themselves, and this allowed us to reach out very significant scientific results.
Archaeometric analysis are still being processed but some preliminary data are very intriguing. We expect the contribution of the archaeometric information will integrate some of the main technological aspects we already investigated throught the computationa imaging and the experimental archaeology. With all of this information, we will be 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 preliminary results, and to reach out a wider audience with a new way of communicate scientific results such as the “re-humanization” of the past through the experimental archaeology and the possibility of showing an artisan working like an ancient craftsman (with likely ancient tools, ancient techniques, ancient procedures and ancient gestures). This kind of dissemination strategy can also be applied within a Museum, during some special events, and in the next few months the A.G.A.T.H.O.C.L.E.S. project intends to activate a test-case related to this possibility.