A TECHNOLOGICAL APPROACH TO LATE MINOAN III LARNAKES: CHAÎNE OPÉRATOIRE AND CRAFTSMEN ORGANIZATION
SARAH GEORGEL-DEBEDDE
This paper examines the manufacturing process of Late Minoan III chest- and bathtub-shaped larnakes, based on a technological analysis of the diagnostic features on archaeological specimens. This study provides a detailed reconstruction of the techniques used at each stage of the chaine opératoire, from paste recipes, forming and decorative techniques, to firing conditions, and sheds new light on the organization of producers. The results show that larnakes were manufactured according to the same technical tradition, transmitted and shared during the LM III period, while identifying regional trends in larnax production as well as regional or local workshops. They provide a better understanding of the organization of craftsmen, highlighting the territorial division of this craft and the existence of privileged contacts between these different groups.

Georgel-Debedde S., A Technological Approach to Late Minoan III Larnakes: Chaîne opératoire and Craftsmen Organization, SMEA NS 11, 2025, 51-76.





