The influence of Islamic pottery in the Mediterranean

Abstract

Archaeology has made one of its greatest contribution to the historical reconstruction of the Middle Ages in respect of the relationships - mostly economic - between different areas, especially between diverse civilizations like the western Christian, Islamic, Byzantine and Slavic. Ceramics, which survive well in the ground and were widely distributed provide a powerful index of context and cultural preference. Pottery was used in most domestic activities, and this also provides an indication of the local practices of daily life. Large amounts of ceramics were traded or moved as containers, thereby assisting the reconstruction of trade routes (Davey & Hodges 1983).