Colonial Encounters and Artisanal Practices in the Western Phoenician World Ceramic Evi- dence from Sardinia

Abstract

This paper focuses on the analysis of some typical western Phoenician ceramic shapes from an artisanal perspective,
by taking into account the manufacturing process of pottery production. Ceramic material has been sampled
from a range of sites on the island of Sardinia, namely the Phoenician settlements of Nora and Pani Loriga, both in
the southern part of the island, and nuraghe S’Urachi, in west-central Sardinia. The ceramic functional categories of
cooking and table ware, and amphorae make up the sample. Through visual inspection and the analysis of X-rays scans,
manufacturing techniques and the modelling of vessels in the context of the ceramic operative sequence are investigated.
Peculiar patterns of Phoenician ceramic artisanal traditions are outlined, and the outcomes of interaction with
local communities in the development of specific colonial ceramic practices in the following Punic period are explored.