Department of Archaeology and Ancient History Bucchero: Forms and consumption patterns in San Giovenale Joacim Seger Master thesis 45 hp in Classical Archaeology and Ancient History VT 2020 Supervisors: Dominic Ingemark & Filmo Verhagen Uppsala University Abstract Seger, J. 2020. Bucchero: Forms and consumption patterns in San Giovenale Seger, J. 2020. Bucchero: Former och konsumtionsmönster i San Giovenale. A Swedish excavation took place in the settlement of San Giovenale between the years 1956 to 1965 to shed further light on Etruscan settlements. During the excavation, a great amount of bucchero was uncovered at the site. This study focusses on the forms of bucchero that were uncovered in the San Giovenale area and how these vessels might be connected to a broader network of the ware. By identifying the forms of bucchero found in the area and by bringing together all the earlier publications concerned with the bucchero finds from San Giovenale, this study tries to look at the bucchero material in its totality. By locating and counting the forms and context in which the bucchero was found, together with the other finds from the area, this study attempts to contextualize and uncover the status of the bucchero ware within the settlement and how this particular ware might be connected with the Etruscan banquets. By bringing all the material together from all the areas in San Giovenale, this study hopes to paint a clearer picture of the bucchero in San Giovenale in terms of form, amount, chronology and spread of bucchero. By studying the bucchero from the settlement of San Giovenale we might greatly enhance our understanding of the bucchero ware outside of the tomb context that it is usually found within. Keywords: Etruscan, San Giovenale, bucchero, ceramics, conspicuous consumption, feasting. Master Thesis in Classical Archaeology and Ancient Archaeology 45 hp. Supervisors: Dominic Ingemark & Filmo Verhagen (ventilated and approved: 2020–08–28) © Joacim Seger Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Uppsala University, Box 626, 75126 Uppsala, Sweden. Cover illustration: Bucchero kantharos. From: San Giovenale IV:1, 63, Fig. 63, No. 19. Acknowledgements Firstly, I would like to thank Fredrik Tobin who introduced me to the site of San Giovenale and the bucchero from the site during my stay in Rome 2019. I would also like to thank both Yvonne Backe-Forsberg and Lars Karlsson who has shared their expertise and extended knowledge of the site with me. Last but not least, I would like to thank both Dominic Ingemark and Filmo Verhagen who has been with me through the whole project and who has provided me with amazing support and invaluable feedback. ABBREVATIONS c. Circa. w. With. Fig. Figure. Frg. Fragment. Frgs. Fragments. No. Number. Pl. Plate. SPBC Stratigraphic probe in the bedrock cut. Tab. Table. EBN Excavation of balk in the north. EBNE Excavation of balk in the north east. PUWSWP4 Probe under white stone west of Pozzo 4. Contents 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Aim and purpose ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1.1. Question formulation .............................................................................................................. 2 1.1.2. San Giovenale ......................................................................................................................... 2 1.1.3. The Swedish Excavation ......................................................................................................... 3 1.2. Earlier research ............................................................................................................................... 4 1.2.1. The catalogues ........................................................................................................................ 5 1.3. Methodological approach ............................................................................................................... 6 1.4. Theoretical approach ...................................................................................................................... 7 1.4.1. Conspicuous consumption ...................................................................................................... 7 1.4.2. Feasting theory........................................................................................................................ 9 2. Bucchero: shapes, techniques, and decoration ................................................................................ 10 2.1. Bucchero....................................................................................................................................... 10 2.1.1. Bucchero shapes ................................................................................................................... 12 2.1.2. Technique ............................................................................................................................. 13 2.1.3. Decoration............................................................................................................................. 14 3. Sumptous feasts and the elite .......................................................................................................... 15 3.1. The Etruscan elite ......................................................................................................................... 15 3.2. The banquet .................................................................................................................................. 16 3.3. The last supper ............................................................................................................................. 18 4. Bucchero in San Giovenale ............................................................................................................. 19 4.1 Distribution.................................................................................................................................... 19 4.1.1. The Borgo ............................................................................................................................. 20 4.1.2. Building period I (c. 650–530 BCE) ..................................................................................... 22 4.1.3. Building period II (c. 530/500–430 BCE) ............................................................................ 24 4.1.4. Building period III (c. 430/410 BCE) ................................................................................... 27 4.1.5. Area B ................................................................................................................................... 31 4.1.6. Semi-subterranean building in Area B .................................................................................. 33 4.1.7. Area E ................................................................................................................................... 35 4.1.8. Area F East ........................................................................................................................... 37 4.2. Summary of the colour and shapes .............................................................................................. 46 4.3. Bucchero in context ...................................................................................................................... 47 5. Discussion & Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 52 5.1. The distribution of bucchero in San Giovenale ............................................................................ 52 5.2. Patterns of (un)conspicuous consumption? .................................................................................. 56 5.2.1. Status, wealth, or everyday pottery? ..................................................................................... 57 5.3 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 58 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................ 59 Ancient sources ................................................................................................................................... 59 Published sources ................................................................................................................................ 59 List of figures ...................................................................................................................................... 62 Figures ................................................................................................................................................. 62 Tables .................................................................................................................................................. 62 Annex 1. .............................................................................................................................................. 63 1. Introduction One of the broadest and perhaps one of the most fundamental use of clay has been to create containers such as pottery vessels. Pottery containers may be used for carrying anything from liquids to dry substances as well as being used for