The ceramic vessels of the late antique and early medieval domus in the religious complex of San Pietro (Canusium, Italy): Clayey geosources, local production and imports in northern Apulia

Abstract

This study broadens our knowledge of the relationship between the clayey georesources available in northern Apulia and the artisanal production of ceramics. The focus is placed on a collection of 6^th and 7^th century A.D. pottery found in the domus excavated within the archaeological complex of Canosa San Pietro (ancient Canusium) in Italy. The integration of the results obtained from this study with those already available made it possible to outline conscious technological choices in terms of raw materials' exploitation, based on which the alluvial deposits were selected for the production of coarse cooking ware and the marine Subapennine clays for the production of fine common ware. This selective choice undoubtedly had a practical implication since it supplied raw materials that required little processing, being already suitable for the type of ceramic to be produced. Moreover, the compositional comparison of investigated pottery with products distributed along the Carapelle valley, rather than those from Canusium previously studied, provides new perspectives for reconstructing the microcirculation of ceramics in northern Apulia. Lastly, the imports of Classe-type pottery, probably from the northern Adriatic area, are worth mentioning since they represent the most consistent distribution of this type of ceramic in southern Italy and may reflect the assiduous pilgrimage of the monastery after the death of Bishop Savinus.