Programm Summer Semester 2026

Prof. Dr. Lara Maritan ( University of Padova, Italy)

Recycling in ancient ceramics: the circular economy between past and present

Abstract: In ceramic production, the reuse of materials can be related practically only to the addition of temper or additives to the base clay, therefore during the clay paste preparation. The most evident attestation of recycling is represented by the use of grog, therefore granules of ceramics obtained from the grinding of previously produced and used pottery (probably from broken objects). This type of practice is well documented in numerous ancient productions, especially in sites located in landscapes characterized by the absence, in the vicinity, of rock outcrops or availability of sand deposits. But, argillaceous-bases temper or naturally occurring inclusions, such as argillaceous rocks or clay pellets are often difficult to be distinguished from grog, creating misinterpretation, especially when only macroscopic analysis is done.

The recycle of other artificial materials were, although sporadically, attested, such as glass in crucibles (which determined a high sintering of the ceramic body), metal slags in grater of mills, or byproducts for lead-glazes. More difficult is to prove the recycling of minerals and stones, since the practice of exploiting outcrops to get temper was a very common practice. The reuse of lithic temper derived from previous object can be proved when the temper is composed of mineral or rocks extraneous to the geology of the region where the ceramic was produced. Also the presence in the same ceramic of rock types geologically consistent with different geological units apart from each other, despite outcropping in the same region where the ceramic was produce, may indicate the recycling of processing wastes related to the production of lithic objects. Among other type of temper of organic origin and being byproduct, plant ash was discriminated from the use of simple plant remains, thanks to the crystal habit of the calcite as observed in this section.

Dr. Gül Sürmelihindi (University of Mainz, Germany)

Why do anthropogenic carbonate archives matter?

Abstract: Carbonate deposits from ancient aqueducts contain a wealth of information on past society-environment connectivity. Aqueducts, especially of Roman age, provided cities, baths and industrial complexes with water derived from springs and in some cases, rivers. Layered calcium carbonate deposits in such aqueducts were formed from hard water that left behind regular laminated deposits, with a mean deposition rate of 1 mm/year. Such deposits can provide information with up daily resolution over periods of centuries, depending on how long an aqueduct operated. Data that can be retrieved include air temperature, water discharge, and composition and quality of spring water that fed an aqueduct, and the relative timing of catastrophic events. Natural disasters such as floods, droughts and earthquakes are recorded in the carbonate archives, besides consequences of anthropogenic events such as deforestation and even plagues. Besides environmental data, unique archaeological information can be obtained, especially about maintenance and modification of ancient water supply systems and therefore traces of human resilience in water management. Methods used are microfabric and geochemical analyses, mainly the composition of stable isotopes of oxygen, carbon, strontium and of trace elements. The δ18O values of carbonate deposits accumulated in the water lines of the ancient cities of Nîmes and Cahors in France, show a periodic pattern corresponding to annual seasonal air temperature variations over a period of 25-220 years during the Roman period, forming an archive of the local climate. The timing of an earthquake in the ancient city of Patara in Turkey was determined by counting the annual layers in carbonate deposits and examining it together with epigraphic sources and historical records. The maintenance frequency of the largest industrial mill complex of the antiquity at Barbegal, France, and its much-debated purpose were examined in the light of its anthropogenic carbonate archive. Finally, we were able to contribute to the understanding of the bathing conditions in Pompeii, before the arrival of the Roman aqueduct and technological improvement in water management to provide more water and sometimes warmer pool water in the Republican Baths. We envisage the contribution of carbonate deposits to archaeological and environmental sciences as unparalleled and therefore, yes, we believe that anthropogenic carbonates matter for bridging humanities with the natural sciences.

Dr. Ruiqi Zou  (University of Tübingen, Germany)

Morphological and biomechanical consequences of leg amputation in a Warring States individual (2200 BP) from the frontier of northern China

Abstract: Leg amputation leads to irreversible limb loss and physical impairments, which requires local and systemic skeletal adaptations. The functional morphology of amputees in antiquity has not been systematically investigated. In this study, an individual with signs of lower limb amputation who lived 2200 years ago during the Warring States Period of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty was assessed using functional morphological approaches. The skeleton demonstrated functional morphological adaptations both locally and systematically. Bone thickness and enthesis changes of the amputated leg had signs of atrophy, indicating functional decline and prolonged disuse after the amputation. After amputation, the individual relied on his upper limbs for balance and support. Besides, the individual experienced considerable lumbar strain attributable to his postamputation lifestyle and compensatory movement patterns. The reason for amputation might be penal in a military setting. These findings reveal adaptive mechanisms of limb function and the challenges faced by amputees, offering insights into the consequences of such procedures

Dr. Vangelio Kiriatzi (British School at Athens, Greece)

Lives of pots, histories of islands: a multiscale technological approach to Mediterranean landscapes

Dr. Giulia Russo (Free University of Berlin and German Archaeological Institute, Germany)

Pottery-making practices and communities of potters: a chaîne opératoire approach to Ubaid to late Chalcolithic 2 ceramics from the Balikh Valley, Syria

June Versluis (University of Tübingen, Germany)

On tar: analysing and reconstructing adhesive production in the South African Stone Age