With all apologies for lumping replies to several different emails, for efficiency’s sake:

Theoretically, they may have been used to separate substances, but if so, it was likely done in the presence of heat; the photo I posted wasn’t a particularly good one for demonstrating this, but more often than not, they do have clear evidence of having been used over a fire. The one example that I know of that was residue tested supposedly had oil and grain residues, but I don’t believe the scientific evidence for that was published.
The holes don’t go through, so they probably weren’t used as sieves, though there are contemporaneous perforated implements that make good candidates for that function.
Yes, one of my students (a joint studio art ceramics and art history major) and I replicated this shape. We were able to make relatively good flatbread, and after giving a brief talk at the AIA meetings in January, we got rather a lot of press. The press was somewhat more variable in quality than the bread was.
Thanks, all, for the many comparanda; they’re much appreciated. Does anyone know of examples from the Early Iron Age outside of Greece? I’ve heard that there might be a similar Phoenician shape but haven’t seen published examples.

Best,

Julie

Julie Hruby

Assistant Professor of Classics

Dartmouth College

HB 6086

Hanover, NH 03755

(603) 646-2910