Event Home
05/09/2017 06:00 PM
ISAW Lecture Hall
Economic Complexity in the 7th Century AD
From Small Assemblage to Big History
Sebastian Heath
In this lecture Heath will describe his work on a mid-7th century AD group of amphoras and related objects - such as stoppers and funnels - found in 1976 at Kenchreai, the Aegean port of the ancient city of Corinth. This material is now being studied by the American Excavations at Kenchreai sponsored by Vanderbilt University by permit of the Greek Ministry of Culture. Most of the amphoras are regionally produced and Heath will show how these can be easily distinguished from the many imported forms, including examples from near Cyprus and regions within ancient Palestine. The local amphoras come in two sizes as do the amphora stoppers that may have sealed them. There are at least two forms of funnel. As with many late imperial historical contexts, the Seventh Century AD in the Mediterranean was a time of turmoil and a time of ongoing economic activity.