International Conference Pisa

Confirmed Speakers

• Giulia D'Ercole & Julia Budka (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) (Abstract)

• Argyris Fassoulas (Université Paris Nanterre) (Abstract)

• Enrica Inversi (Freie Universität Berlin & British Museum London) (Abstract)

• Christine Morris (Trinity College Dublin)

• Lara Maritan (Università di Padova) (Abstract)

• Isabelle Vella Gregory (University College London) (Abstract)

Conference Abstract

Historically neglected, the study of ancient clay figurines has  developed considerably in recent years, in part through the application  of methodologies used in ceramic studies. Researchers have employed a  wide variety of approaches to tackle questions regarding  the production methods, use, and social and economic systems connected  to clay objects. While analysis on figurines has most often focused on  their iconography and basic use, there is a growing acknowledgement that  they had complex meanings with their own  agency that require diverse interpretations.

From their creation to their final deposition, clay objects encapsulate various levels of identity (e.g. the identity of artefact itself, the identity of the maker, socio-cultural identity) and performance (e.g. the process of creation/production, their  employment in daily life activities, in rituals, in social events or  human interactions). On a surface level, we can examine what clay  objects represent and provide a determination of their  use. Their plastic nature, typological variety, and the diversity of  their find contexts, however, allow us to also explore the hidden  identities and traces of action that are embedded within the clay.  Analysis of fingerprints and technological traces, for  example, have made significant steps towards profiling the producers of  clay figurines, their craft knowledge and skill, and the cognitive  processes behind their creations. By examining manufacturing techniques  we can explore the performative aspects of production,  such as the gestures used in the forming and decoration of clay  artefacts, which are associated with distinct groups and knowledge  transmission. Ceramic petrography and geochemical analyses inform us  about the selection and manipulation of raw materials, and,  in turn, how the material properties may have influenced the choices of  the producers, and therefore the final outcome of the object.  Typological differences and diversity of archaeological contexts further  invite us to reflect on the evolving nature of the  processes of identification and to (re)consider the degree of  interaction between the worlds of the ‘producer’, ‘user’ and ‘owner’.

Conference Details

The conference will be split into two sessions, each with a round of  discussion afterwards to facilitate collaboration and the generation of  ideas in that field of study. A final round-table will take place at the  end of the conference to help build and develop  strategies that all the participants will be able to use in their  ongoing and future research.

Session 1. Identity and performance in clay artefacts through the lens of archaeometry

Note: This session includes studies on clay objects (not only figurines) from various ancient societies (Ancient Nile Valley, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia)

•          Study of raw materials (ceramic petrography and geochemical analyses: pXRF, SEM-EDS, NAA...), residue analysis

•         Analysis of manufacturing techniques and operational chains (chaînes opératoires)

•         Use-wear and break patterns

  
  

Session 2. Identity and performance in clay artefacts through the lens of archaeology

Note: this session focuses more specifically on clay figurines from the Nile Valley

•          Analysis of archaeological contexts (funerary, cultic, domestic, production) and their implications for exploring identity and performance (e.g. identifying the owners, users and social contexts of clay figurines; examining the acts of burial, deposition or discard)

•         Typological classification of clay figurines (anthropomorphic and zoomorphic), studies of human/animal embodiment and abstraction processes (e.g. how a being materialises into a recognisable figure to its audience)

•         Analysis of the symbolism of the different forms of figurines and the rituality of its performance at different stages of its life (creation, (re)use, and disposal).

Guidelines for abstracts:

Please provide the author's name, affiliation and a short 200-300 word abstract with selected bibliography

Deadlines and dates:

Abstract submission: 30 September

Notification of acceptance: 20 October

Article submission for proceedings: October 2025

Contacts and Further Information:

For further information about the conference and to submit your abstract, please email: pipe.project.prin@gmail.com