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
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Julie Hruby
Assistant Professor of Classics
Dartmouth College
HB 6086
Hanover, NH 03755
(603) 646-2910