THE PROJECT

Late Roman 1 (LR1) amphorae were produced in numerous provinces of the Eastern Roman Empire and were one of the most widely traded types of maritime transport containers in the Mediterranean. Their distribution denotes the extensive trade networks that operated during Late Antiquity and their study provides valuable insights into the complexity of multiscalar regional and inter-regional exchanges. Although the Cypriot production is well-documented, due to the type’s morphological standardisation, it currently remains difficult to pinpoint the provenance of all different type-variants or associate them with specific production centres.

ProTeAS aims at addressing this research issue through the comprehensive compositional and technological characterisation of LR1 amphorae from identified Cypriot kiln sites.

The main objectives in a nutshell:

• Technological and compositional characterisation of LR1 samples at site level and regional level
• Understand technological and compositional variability internally, within Cyprus, and particularly along the south and south-west coasts
• Provide the compositional and technological profile of LR1 Cypriot production to update contemporary literature.