Italo-Mycenaean and other Aegean-influenced pottery in Late Bronze Age Italy: the case for regional production

Abstract Decorated Italo-Mycenaean (IM) pottery, a high-status class found and made over three centuries from the Italian Late Middle Bronze Age onwards, was subject of large archaeological archaeometric enquiry published by present authors in 2014. The paper focuses on identifying IM’s centres production. results chemical analysis IM using mainly ICP-ES make strong case for regional production, irrespective findspots several parts Italy. This accords well with relative stylistic individuality observed among finds across many Italy, suggesting that is powerful indicator way local communities were constructing negotiating their identities at this crucial time social economic change end Age. A picture more dispersed intra -regional production emerges combined petrographic two other pottery classes displaying Aegean influence: wheel-made Grey ware decorated Final Age/Early Iron (FBA/EIA) sites present-day Apulia Broglio di Trebisacce Calabria. Potters manufacturing former applied knowledge wheel kiln firing to handmade impasto shapes which largely shared within region. obtained latter reflect demands new elites emerging FBA/EIA southern Italy create symbols expressing cultural identity: pottery’s style, especially Protogeometric, uniform but its localised.