Commercial Patterns Across the Sea: The interdisciplinary study of Maritime Transport Containers from Cyprus and the elucidation of Mediterranean connectivity during the Late Bronze Age-Early Iron Age

ongoing

Ancient ceramic vessels are not merely lumps of clay that were formed and fired to be utilised at some point in the past. They represent vigorous discourses among raw materials, technological knowhow and the societies that produced and used them. In addressing the complexities inherent in archaeological ceramics, we attain an indispensable insight into past communities and the antiquity of our own society. Special-function vessels used in the transhipment of goods, termed Maritime Transport Containers (MTCs), can shed light on the multi-level mechanisms involved in ancient seaborne commerce. In the temporal and geographical context of the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age eastern Mediterranean (LBA-EIA, ca. 1650-750 BC), the highly visible hallmarks of the flourishing trade between sophisticated states are three distinct MTC types: the Canaanite Jars, Egyptian Jars and Transport Stirrup Jars, produced in the Levant, Egypt and the Aegean respectively. Cyprus was a key player within interregional commercial strategies, and its archaeological contexts have yielded prolific amounts of MTCs; however, the lack of a systematic study of these assemblages undermines our understanding of LBA-EIA Mediterranean interconnections. The proposed project aspires to provide a holistic study of the Levantine, Egyptian and Aegean MTCs from the Cypriot contexts of the LBA-EIA periods, addressing their morphology, origin, contents, chronology, capacity, manufacture technology, marking strategies and depositional practices. The project implements an innovative methodology, integrating archaeological, scientific, and technologically advanced approaches to illuminate the production, circulation, and consumption of MTCs and their contents. Acknowledging MTCs as principal contributors to the study of interregional exchanges, the proposed research will elucidate the transformative character of ancient commerce, and will provide substantial insights on intercultural connectivity in the Mediterranean.