EXARC Journal (May 2021)
Throwing Punic Amphorae: An Archaeological and Experimental Approach to the use of the Potter's Wheel in southern Iberia during the Iron Age
Abstract
The transport of food products in amphorae was a basic pillar for the maritime-oriented economies and sustenance supplies of the Phoenician and Punic communities of first millennium BC southern Iberia. Over the last few decades, numerous investigations have been carried out aimed at identifying the manufacturing sites of these amphorae, at defining both their typological and chronological aspects, the features of their fabrics, and focusing on the relationship of certain types with specific contents (De Frutos and Muñoz, 1994; 1996; Muñoz and De Frutos, 2006; Sáez Romero, 2008). Little attention has been paid to other important issues, including the production process of such containers, the operational sequence, and the technology used to produce them in large quantities since at least the 6th century BC This contribution aims to systematize the information on the parts of potter's wheels found in the south of the Iberian Peninsula (See Figure 1) and based on this data, to raise new hypotheses about the type of wheel used to produce amphorae in the 5th century BC. Using 3D digital models and replicas of these potter's wheels, we also reflect on their turning potential, dimensions, and ways of using them. This is a stepping stone for the identification of models which were potentially in use in the workshops of the Bay of Cadiz (Punic Gadir) at the time (See Figure 2), and how local artisans produced the T-11213 amphorae, a key type for the regional salted fish seaborne trade.
