Naslov
From Cult Objects to Salt Pottery: New Evidence for Prehistoric Salt Production on Eastern Adriatic

Autori
Domines Peter, Pio

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
4th International Congress on the Anthropology of Salt (book of abstracts) / - , 2022, 24-24

Skup
4th International Congress on the Anthropology of Salt

Mjesto i datum
Baton Rouge, Sjedinjene Američke Države, 13.10.2022. - 16.10.2022

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Nije recenziran

Ključne riječi
briquetage ; archaeology of salt ; eastern Adriatic

Sažetak
Various studies on the archaeology of salt traditionally emphasised solar evaporation as a widely adapted method of producing salt in the Mediterranean regions through antiquity. On the other hand, it is well-known fact that in continental Europe brine-boiling using briquetage became very common in many areas with rich salt sources since the Neolithic. Recent finds from Mediterannean coasts of Spain, Italy and France have produced evidence that briquetage techniques have not been exclusively limited to continental environments, thus supporting another points of view on development and expansion of salt- production technology. Finds of briquetage from sites on Velebit littoral, a part of the eastern Adriatic coast beneath the long coastal range of Velebit mountain, have been known for more than half a century. For a long time they have been mistakenly considered a cult objects and their function as a briqutage pedestrals has just recently been identified. The latest archaeological research carried out on the some area have revealed other strong evidences of prehistoric salt production in the form of areas with enormous quantity of production waste. The large accumulations of discarded sherds from the broken vessels are considered strong indicator for identifying at least three coastal production areas where saltmaking took place. Therefore, salt sites of Velebit provide a great opportunity for extensive study of briqutage assemblage. Cylindrical three- horn shaped pedestrals and thin-walled bowls represent the majority of collected material. Exhaustive analysis shows standardised and uniform characteristics and particularly evaporation vessels (moulds) turned out to be very specific by their unique forms and technological features which are differing significantly from all other “ordinary” domestic pottery. Sites dispersion and quantity of surface material suggest an intensive large-scale production that probably started in the Late Bronze Age, clearly indicating the important role of the production, use and value of salt in socio-economic aspects of prehistoric societies of Velebit mountain.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Arheologija

POVEZANOST RADA