of the national training program "Archaeological and Archaeometric Approaches to Ceramics: Byzantine World and Medieval Middle-East" gathered in Lyon 19 participants of Syrian, Iranian, Algerian, Italian and ... French nationality, coming from all over France, as well as from Beyrouth and Florence.

The training included both methodological approaches to ceramics studies, focusing especially on analytical ones (fabrics, petrographic and chemical analysis for provenance and technology studies, residues analysis for studies of contents and uses...), and courses on Byzantine and Eastern Mediterranean medieval pottery, including hands-on on sherds and observations under the binocular, supplemented with replicas and 3D models.

Food experience in a typical Lyonnese restaurant was not forgotten! (photo Y. Rezkallah)

further information

The training program "Archaeological and Archaeometric Approaches to Ceramics", labeled "National Training Action" (Action Nationale de Formation) by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), will take place in Lyon on 28 May - 1rst June 2018. It proposes researchers and students both a methodological overview and an introduction to Byzantine and other medieval Eastern Mediterranean pottery. Practical training is proposed with the handling of sherds and the observation of fabrics. Archaeological sherds are complemented by replicas and 3D models of "best examples" from reference collections (Athens Agora, Museum and Ephorates of Thebes and Chalcis, etc.).
The course presents the latest results of research carried out in the framework of the POMEDOR project.

Program

Poster

Registration form

Information: yona.waksman@mom.fr

The training course "Archaeological and Archaeometric Approaches to Ceramics" took place in Lyon this year on 29 May - 2 June 2017 and focused on pottery of the Byzantine world and the medieval Middle-East. It proposed some 20 researchers and students, from all over France and beyond, both a methodological overview, and a theoretical and practical introduction to Byzantine and other medieval Eastern Mediterranean pottery through the handling of sherds and the observation of fabrics. Archaeological sherds were complemented by replicas and 3D models of "best examples" from reference collections (Athens Agora, Museum and Ephorates of Thebes and Chalcis, etc.).
The course presented the latest results of research carried out in the framework of the POMEDOR project.

The workshop was labeled "National Training Action" (Action Nationale de Formation) by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).

Information: yona.waksman@mom.fr

Training course program

Training course poster

Registration form

A 3D scanning campaign was carried out in Istanbul from the 2nd to the 7th of October, on a variety of medieval eastern Mediterranean ceramics from a private collection.

The aim of this campaign was to obtain high quality 3D models of complete pieces or profiles of several ceramics types and productions, including:

• Port Saint-Symeon Wares;
• “MBP” (main "Middle Byzantine Production": Green and Brown Painted Ware, Fine Sgraffito Ware, Champlevé Ware);
• Cyprus (Lapithos) Ware;
• Thessaloniki or Istanbul Sirkeci Ware, with a bird design;
• Late Byzantine bowls of Western Anatolian and Northern Aegean types;
• "Seljuk" Wares (with Polychrome Sgraffito or Champlevé decoration on the inside, and Slip Painted decoration on the outside);
• "Miletus Ware".

The resulting 3D models will be used for educational and research purposes. They may be considered as representatives of different productions studied in Lyon laboratory in the framework of the POMEDOR project.

3D models will be available through the new online interface of the ceramics database of the Lyon laboratory

The proceedings of the final conference of the POMEDOR project "Multidisciplinary Approaches to Food and Foodways in the Medieval Eastern Mediterranean" will appear in the series "Travaux de la Maison de l'Orient".

POMEDOR proceedings, recommandations to authors

Podcasts of the communications presented at the conference will also be available in the fall 2016.

Philippe Trélat posted on the POMEDOR members website (see "Network") a program-questionnaire for a historical survey, elaborated with the help of Nicolas Trépanier, Ilias Anagnostakis and Yona Waksman. The following areas of research are proposed:
1. The choice of cultivated plant species and livestock and hunted animals
2. Places of distribution
3. Methods of food preservation
4. Cultural values of different cooking methods
5. Changing dietary boundaries between communities

Members are welcome to contribute!