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“Canaanite” amphorae, hieratic jar dockets and measure marks from Deir el-Medina.: Reconstructing economic networks between Egypt and the Levant in the Late Bronze Age

par Bavay, Laurent
Référence No Half Measures for Understanding Ancient Pots. Aims and Methods of Capacity Studies in the Mediterranean Bronze Age, (15-16 juin 2023: École française d'Athènes, Athènes)
Publication Non publié, 2023-06-15

Communication à un colloque

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Résumé :

Beside official inscriptions on royal and religious monuments, pottery provides a major source of information on Egypt’s foreign relations during the Late Bronze Age. In particular, the interdisciplinary study of transport amphorae has proven especially successful in reconstructing the economic system behind the import of Levantine products in Egypt. Geochemical analyses of “Canaanite” amphora fabrics from Memphis and Amarna demonstrated the existence and geographical provenance of different groups within this category of imported vessels. These groups can be related to the hieratic inscriptions (so-called “jar dockets”) preserved on many amphorae from the site of Deir el-Medina in the Theban necropolis, mentioning dates of production, the product contained in the jar, the producer (usually an estate) and other details about the vessel contents that provide great detail on these economic networks. We will focus in particular on measures noted in ink on these Levantine amphorae, usually under the handle. How should we interpret them, and what can these capacity measures tell us about the involvement of the Egyptian administration in the Syro-Levantine production region?