An Experimental Approach to Minoan Larnakes : Exploring Craft Spaces for Production of Large Ceramic Vessels
Résumé
This article aims to explore craft spaces associated with the production of Minoan larnakes. Larnakes are large clay coffins, used mainly on Crete from the beginning to the end of the Minoan Bronze Age (ca. 2650–1050 BCE). Scholars have long given attention to larnakes for their iconographical richness. However, previous research has neglected the context of production and modes of distribution of these artifacts. This study investigates the spatial organization of craft spaces for larnax production, using an experiment conducted in collaboration with traditional potters, and compares the results with the ethnographic and archaeological record. The study offers new insights on the organization of larnax production and the production of large vessels in general, by formulating criteria to identify workshops related to the manufacture of large vessels. Examining the relationship between vessel size and craft spaces offers a better understanding of the organization of this pottery craft in Minoan Crete.