Economic interactions between Punic and Greek settlements in the southern Central Mediterranean (late 7th-4th BCE): the evidence of the transport amphorae

Project affiliation: Institut für Klassische Archäologie

Project leader: Dr. Babette Bechtold

Cooperation: Prof. Giuseppe Montana, Associated professor at the Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare – DiSTeM, Università di Palermo

Supporting scientific structures: Dr. M. Famà (director of the Parco archeologico ed ambientale presso le isole dello Stagnone e delle aree archeologiche di Marsala e dei Comuni limitrofi), Dr. C. Greco (director of the Parco archeologico di Selinunte e Cave di Cusa “Vincenzo Tusa” e delle aree archeologiche di Castelvetrano, Campobello e dei Comuni limitrofi), Dr. S. Vassallo (scientific director of the Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. di Palermo), Dr. F. Spatafora (director of the Parco archeologico di Himera e delle aree archeologiche di Termini Imerese e e dei Comuni limitrofi), Dr. N. Vella (University of Malta), Prof. B. Maraoui Temini (Université de Tunis), Dr. S. Ben Tahar (Institut National du Patrimoine de Jerba), Dr. K. Göransson (Research and Development Curator, Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm), Dr. J. Ramón Torres (University of Barcelona), Prof. C. Marconi (New York University, IFA), Prof. Th. Schäfer (University of Tübingen), Dr. R. Giglio (scientific director of the Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. di Trapani), Prof. R.F. Docter (Gent University).

Financial support: Austrian Science Fund FWF: P 25046-G19.

Team: Mag. Karin Schmidt (University of Vienna), Prof. Giuseppe Montana, Dr. A.M. Polito (both University of Palermo), Mag. Maxine Anastasi (Oxford University), Cultural Heritage Computing (CHC, University of Salzburg), Dr. J. Bejaoui, H. Abdelwahed (both Centre National des Sciences et Technologies Nucléaires de Tunisie).

Abstract of the project
Armed conflicts shaped substantially the Phoenician-Punic - Greek relations in the southern Central Mediterranean and especially in Sicily. On the other hand, archaeological evidence for active commercial trade and complex economic interactions between the mighty, independent cities of this area increases steadily. Recent research conducted in the main Phoenician-Punic settlements located in this region, e.g Carthage, the Maltese archipelago, Motya, Palermo and Solunto, but also on minor sites as Cossyra, has underlined the intense involvement of the whole area in the international maritime trade from the late 8th-7th cent. BCE onwards.

Transport amphorae are considered to represent one of the most reliable markers for economic exchange. For this reason their correct provenance identification is extremely helpful for the reconstruction of ancient trade routes. In this light it is highly emblematic that from the 7th cent. BCE onwards Phoenician-Punic amphorae appear to be attested in West Greek colonies, while contemporaneously foodstuffs produced by different Greek cities reach regularly Phoenician-Punic cities located in the southern Central Mediterranean area.
The present project focuses on the provenance identification of Phoenician-Punic and West Greek amphorae yielded by excavations on sites located in North Africa, on Malta and in western Sicily (fig. 3) by the means of both, fabric studies of c. 830 samples and archaeometric analysis.

The three main points of research focus on:

1. the fabric characterization and the archaeometric analysis of the local fabrics of crucial Phoenician-Punic production centers with special regard to western Sicily (Motya, Solunto, Lilybaeum, Selinunte) and Carthage, but also North Africa (Utica), Malta and Ibiza,

2. the analysis of the chrono-typological evolution especially of the series of Carthage, Motya and Palermo/Solunto by the study of 240 mostly entirely preserved vessels found in the Greek cemeteries of Himera,

3. the increase of the distribution range of already identified West Greek and Punic amphorae fabrics documented on selected Phoenician-Punic consumption sites (Ghizène/Jerba, Carthage, Cossyra, Selinunte, Segesta, Tas-Silg, Zejtun/Malta, Euesperides).

Fig. 1. Amphora of Carthaginian fabric, type Karthago 1A2/3, from enchytrismos grave RA.DE.O 39 from the necropolis of Pestavecchia, Himera (published in Vassallo 1999, 366-367, fig. 17,61).

Fig. 2. Amphora of Motyian fabric, type Ramón T-2.1.1.2, from enchytrismos grave RA.DE.O 131 from the necropolis of Pestavecchia, Himera (published in Vassallo 1999, 364-365, fig. 16,60).

Fig. 3. The geographical area relevant to the present project.

Essential References

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