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Maltese Ceramics and Imperial Foodways: An Exploration of Nineteenth-Century Red Wares

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2017

Russell Palmer
Russell Palmer*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, Ghent University, Belgium
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Abstract

The archaeological study of recent periods in Malta is in its infancy. Despite the high potential for an historical archaeology of Malta contributing to broader issues, such as an understanding of Mediterranean trade and colonialism, as well as the cultural history of Malta, the archaeological resource has remained under-explored. The aim of this article is to address the situation and offer an initial classification and interpretation of local and imported red earthenware ceramics. It will demonstrate the need for such work in relation to answering questions relating to local production, international trade, and foodways.

La recherche arc héologique sur les périodes récentes de l'île de Malte n'en est qu’à ses débuts. La ressource archéologique n'a guère été prise en compte jusqu’à présent, bien qu'une archéologie historique de Malte pourrait fortement contribuer à résoudre les grandes questions comme le commerce et le colonialisme méditerranéen, ainsi qu’à mieux comprendre l'histoire culturelle de Malte. Le but de cet article est de rémédier à cette situation et de présenter une classification et une interprétation initiale de la céramique rouge en terre cuite locale et importée. On montre la nécessité de ce travail par rapport aux questions sur la production locale, le commerce international et les habitudes alimentaires. Translation by Isabelle Gerges

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Die archäologische Untersuchung rezenter Perioden steckt in Malta noch immer in den Kinderschuhen. Trotz des hohen Potentials der historischen Archäologie Maltas, zu weiteren Themenfeldern, wie z. B. dem Verständnis des mediterranen Handels und Kolonialismus oder auch der Kulturgeschichte Maltas, beizutragen, wurden die archäologischen Quellen hierfür bislang nicht in entsprechendem Maße genutzt. Das Ziel dieser Studie ist es, diese Situation darzustellen und eine erste Klassifikation und Interpretation lokaler und importierter roter Irdenwaren vorzunehmen. Sie zeigt die Notwendigkeit derartiger Untersuchungen hinsichtlich der Beantwortung von Fragen zur lokalen Produktion, internationalem Handel und Essgewohnheiten. Translation by Heiner Schwarzberg

Keywords

ceramicsMaltahistorical archaeologyBritish EmpirecolonialismfoodwayscéramiquesMaltearchéologie historiqueEmpire Britanniquecolonialismehabitudes alimentairesKeramikMaltahistorische ArchäologieBritisches EmpireKolonialismusEssgewohnheiten
Type
Articles
Information
European Journal of Archaeology , Volume 17 , Issue 4 , 2014 , pp. 678 - 701
Copyright
Copyright © European Association of Archaeologists 2014 

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