Pottery production in Chhim (Sidon hinterland) in the Roman and early Byzantine periods: Petrographic and elemental analyses

Abstract The current paper presents new evidence on pottery production in Chhim, Lebanon/Phoenicia, during the Roman and early Byzantine periods (end of 1st c. BCE - 5th c. CE), based on the results of scientific analysis integrated with macroscopic studies. Thirty-three samples of amphorae, common ware and kitchen ovens were selected and analysed through a combination of thin section petrography and elemental analyses. The results suggested that the majority of the analysed pottery, despite some compositional and technological variability, was produced with the use of raw materials similar to those used for the kitchen ovens excavated in the same site and was compatible with the local geology. The observed variation in the assemblage probably indicates that the ancient potters did not make standardised choices concerning raw materials and clay paste preparation techniques. The potentially local pottery production seems to have been related to the olive oil industry, which was operating at the site during the Roman and early Byzantine periods.