DUE PRODUZIONI CERAMICHE DEL MEZZOGIORNO

The text presents a summary of the results from studies of two classes of pottery that are extremely widespread in southern Italy even though they come from widely differing excavation contexts: cooking ware and red-banded ware. The functionality of cooking ware, in relation to their use for cooking, preserving and preparing foods, made some features necessary or superfluous. With regard to the technology, the use of coarse clays with refractory qualities is closely correlated to the specific functions of this class of pottery. The restricted decorative repertoires, simplicity of forms and the significant degree of standardisation not only reflect the levels of technology in the period but also the need to reduce the production costs of objects subject to heavy wear and therefore with a short period of use. Pottery with overpainted decoration is recorded across a geographical area comprising continental Europe and, in particular, many regions in the Italian peninsula. Two types of production of red-banded ware have been identified and can be attributed to different periods: the first dates from the end of Late Antiquity to the 10th century AD while the second starts from the 11th century and continues till the 16th century.