Pithoi Technology and history of storage vessels through the ages

This study analyses the manufacturing technology of storage vases from the Messenia area of South West Greece, analysing both ancient and modern sherds for what they can tell us about processes of manufacture, the provenance of raw materials and the technological know-how involved. The principle techniques employed are thin-section petrographic analysis of the sherds, coupled with ethnographic field research to gain insights into the choices made in the manufacture of storage jars in modern Messenia.