The upcoming PCMA seminar will feature Dr. Jerzy M. Oleksiak (Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw) with a presentation: “We are halfway there!” – Reconstructing underground pottery use of Roman emerald miners in Sikait (Eastern Desert, Egypt).
Abstract: This study presents the first-ever analysis of a unique pottery assemblage discovered in the emerald mines in Wādī Sikait. Located in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, this region, referred to in ancient sources as Smaragdos, served as a source of precious gemstones destined for the Mediterranean and Western Indian Ocean markets. Although mining exploration began in the Ptolemaic period, it peaked during the Early Roman period (1st century BC to the early 2nd century AD) and continued into the Late Antique period (from the second half of the 4th century AD until at least the 7th century AD).
Between 2020 and 2026, members of the Sikait Project have documented more than 500 underground mines, exploring inside them several kilometers of galleries. The aim of this paper is to examine the everyday ceramic equipment used by ancient miners both inside and outside the mines, and to consider their strategies for survival in the harsh environments of the Eastern Desert and the challenging conditions of mining corridors. Furthermore, the author aim to highlight the significance of pottery reuse and creativity of ancient miners to find new functions for once broken vessels.
The seminar will be held on Thursday, 30 April at 2 pm (Warsaw time) on the Zoom platform.
To receive the link, please email: seminarium.pcma@uw.edu.pl
The “Pot Talks – A multidisciplinary approach to ceramics from the African area and beyond” is a thematic series within the PCMA Seminar. It is organised by Dr. Katarzyna de Lellis-Danys (PCMA UW and the National Museum in Warsaw). Lectures in this series include topics related to multidisciplinary ceramic research, which will enable participants to exchange experiences with researchers working in different parts of Africa and beyond.