The Formation of Glass Vessels in the Classical and Hellenistic Mediterranean World
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The role of craft practice in changing glass working traditions: the formation of glass vessels in the Classical and Hellenistic Mediterranean world. Volume 1: text Frances Liardet, PhD thesis, 2011 School of History, Archaeology and Religion Cardiff University UMI Number: U584558 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U584558 Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Thesis Abstract This study combines a theoretical modelling of dexterity with a practical apprenticeship in glass-working in order to examine a group of core-formed glass alabastra from Mediterranean Group I (c.525 to c.400 BCE). Core-formed vessels were made by forming glass around an internal mould which was scraped out after the vessel had cooled. The core-forming tradition lasted from c.1500 BCE until c.100 BCE. Mediterranean Group I is of interest because of the wide variety of consistency displayed in body shaping, rim and handle making, and decoration. To understand this variety it was necessary to undertake a theoretical and practical investigation of skill. The theoretical investigation revealed that skill has been conventionally analysed in terms of knowledge. This cognition-based analysis ignores the dimension of moving, specifically of the skilled gesture and the process of becoming dexterous. The practical apprenticeship demonstrated that this process, as a kinaesthetic experience, is value- positive - that is to say, it gives rise to value judgements on artefact feature, gesture in synergy with tools and materials, and craft working behaviour. This remodelling of skill allows one to form a gestural as opposed to a feature- based artefact typology; and in so doing to identify, not simply distinct communities of practice, but different types of communities whose judgements arose out of the experience of becoming dexterous. Redefined in this way skilled making can be repositioned within archaeological theory as a central mode of interaction with the material world, a mode which has the intrinsic potential to generate value and social meaning. Volume 1. Contents Chapter One. Introduction A. Thesis Background and Aims 1 B. Artefacts, Skill and Making in Archaeology and Anthropology 2 C. Artefacts, Skill and Making in this Study 5 D. Archaeological Database and Research Questions 6 E. Thesis Chapter Breakdown 7 Chapter Two. The Archaeological Database. Context and Research Problems A. Introduction 9 B. The Archaeological Database 9 C. Core-formed Vessels: The Archaeological Record 11 D. Research into the Making of Core-formed Vessels 1. Core composition 13 2. Core covering 14 E. Typology and Problems 1. Type, form and class 18 2. Developments in typology 18 3. Problems with typologies: research questions elaborated 22 F. Conclusion 26 Chapter Three. Approaches to Skill, Movement and Making A. Introduction 27 B. Cognitive, Phenomenological and Physiological Approaches to Skill 1. Knowing how and knowing that 27 2. Moving through time 30 C. Sociological and Anthropological Approaches to Skill 1. Techniques, tools and the body 36 2. The social world 38 3. The body and the material world 45 D. Archaeological and Ethno-archaeological Approaches to Skill 1. Cultural transmission 48 2. Style, chaine operatoire and technical choice 53 3. Skill as an archaeological topic 57 E. Conclusion 65 Chapter Four. Theoretical Framework and Practical Project Design A. Introduction 67 B. Becoming Dexterous 1. A model of becoming dexterous with tools and materials 67 2. Theory applied to practice: questions 70 C. Project design: the Core-forming Project 1. Apprenticeship 70 2. Documenting the Core-forming Project 74 D. Experimental Facilities 1. Furnaces and heating 75 2. Other equipment 76 3. Materials 77 E. Procedures and Techniques 1. Vessel-making terminology 82 2. Vessel description and proposed order of procedures 83 3. Procedures 84 F. Conclusion 86 Chapter Five. The Core-forming Project: the Experience of Becoming Dexterous A. Introduction 87 B. Becoming Dexterous in The Procedures of Making Core-formed Alabastra 1. Core making 88 2. Core covering and body shaping 94 3. Decorative trailing 101 4. Decorative trail tooling 111 5. Neck shaping 115 6. Rim shaping 120 7. Handle making 124 C. Summary 131 D. Conclusion 134 Chapter Six. Dexterity and Craft Values: the Implications of a Kinaesthetic Analysis of Skilled Making A. Introduction 135 B. Dexterous Movement: a Value-Positive Experience 135 1. How materials should be treated 136 2. The worth of a task 140 3. A sense of rightness 141 C. The Role of Value-Positive Dexterity in Continuity and Change 1. Continuity: attaining stability 146 2. Change: the contingent nature of skilled making 149 3. Resolving continuity and change: spirals of dexterity 154 D. The Dimension of Communality: Working Groups 158 E. Conclusion 160 Chapter Seven. A gestural typology for core-formed alabastra A. Introduction: the Selected Sets of Vessels 161 B. Gestural Typology for the Selected Sets of Vessels 1. Core making 163 2. Core covering and body shaping 168 3. Decorative trailing 172 iii 4. Decorative trail tooling 182 5. Neck shaping 188 6. Rim shaping 193 7. Handle making 198 C. Conclusion 206 Chapter Eight. Working Groups in the Archaeological Database A. Introduction 208 B. Working Groups 1. Working Group A 209 2. Working Group B 211 3. Working Group C 213 4. Working Group D 220 5. Working Group E 225 Working Group Summary 227 B. Different Working Groups: Accounting for Inconsistency 227 C. Conclusion 231 Chapter Nine. Conclusion A. Thesis Summary 233 B. Originality and Applications 1. Originality 233 2. Applications 234 C. Shortcomings and Further Work 1. Shortcomings 238 2. Further work 239 Bibliography 242 Acknowledgements I am extremely grateful to Professor Ian Freestone, who as my doctoral supervisor provided continued support and encouragement throughout my time at Cardiff University. My study combined artefact analysis, practical glass working, and theoretical modelling; Ian not only guided me around a great many organisational pitfalls but also provided me with a great deal o f useful professional advice. This particular doctoral journey was neither straightforward nor as short as some, but Ian greeted each new bend in the road with unfailing equanimity. I am lastingly indebted to Mark Taylor and David Hill, whose depth o f knowledge and experience in ancient glass forming is unparalleled. They are almost certainly the only people in the work) who have the skills, expertise, resources and generosity required to make the Core-Forming Project happen. Mark, as teacher, responded to an apprentice core-former’s clumsiness and ignorance with the dedication and perseverance that only a true craftsman possesses. Both Mark and David freely shared their time, experience, attention, and sustaining baked potatoes from the annealing oven. Many museum staff took time out from their busy schedules to bring alabastra (in the case o f the British Museum, repeatedly) from store and display so that I could photograph and film them. My thanks go to: the staff o f the Greek and Roman Department o f the British Museum, especially Alex Truscott and Alex Bailey; Dr. Veronique Arveiller- Dulong o f the Louvre; Jutta Page o f the Toledo Museum o f Art; Dr. Joaquin Montoridl o f the Archaeological Museum at Gerona; Aurora Martin o f the Archaeological Museum at Empuries; and Dr. Despina Ignatiadou, who kindly showed me some unpublished core formed vessels in store at the Archaeological Museum at Thessaloniki Regarding the theoretical aspects o f this study, I am grateful to Professor Tim Ingold o f Aberdeen University and Dr Stephanie Koemer o f Lancaster University, whose interest in this research led me to gain the invaluable experience of road-testing my theoretical framework in seminars and conferences. Among many in the glass community I would like to thank Bill Gudenrath, Colin and Susan Brain, Professor Jenny Price, Professor Marie-Dominique Nenna, and Martine Newby for their expert and friendly comments, conversations and advice on the topic o f ancient glass. I would like to thank the Arts and Humanities Research Council for funding my PhD, Cardiff University and the Association for the History of Glass for providing contributions towards travel and conferences; and the Rakow Foundation at the Coming Museum of Glass for their indispensable financial contribution to the Core-Forming Project. Lastly I am grateful to my husband Robert Heath, who over a period of years listened (or equally importantly, out o f the kindness o f his heart, made a semblance o f listening) to my thoughts on ancient glass, academia, and South-West trains. And who on many occasions was left literally holding the baby. Frances Liardet. 31 January 2011 1 Chapter One. Introduction A. Thesis Background and Aims It is not contentious to suggest that in most ancient societies the activities of making, mending and adapting artefacts constituted a primary mode of interaction both between individuals and with materials. Instrumental in creating identities, generating symbolic representations, constructing memories, and supporting - or breaking down - social structures, skilled making provides an essential dimension to many fields of archaeological research. However, although archaeological artefacts have been pressed into the service of a wide range of theoretical causes over the last 100 years, they have not generally been studied primarily as instances of skilled making, or craft.