Petrographic characterization of Late Roman African Pottery from J.W. Salomonson’s surveys: 2. The workshop of Sidi Aïch

Abstract

This paper focuses on the petrographic characterization of pottery samples from the South Tunisian workshop of Sidi Aïch in the survey collection of J.W. Salomonson. Binocular observation and thin section analysis have been combined to identify the micro- and macroscopic markers of Sidi Aïch’s production and to cross-reference them with several samples from Salomonson’s surveys (already published, stored in France) as well as from the African pottery collection Aubert-Buès (Museum of Gap, Hautes-Alpes, France, ongoing study). In addition to the previously published ones, other fabrics have been identified, pointing to the presence of two larger fabric-families with different textural/technological features that can be correlated to distinct chronological phases and/or workshop areas. These new references will help improve the identification of Sidi Aïch products both in the Gap collection and at consumption sites.

Keywords

• Tunisia
• Sidi Aïch workshop
• African Red Slip Ware
• African Cooking Ware
• Late Antiquity
• fabrics