Clay in Common - Building regional cooperation in Bronze Age pottery research in southeast Arabia
21-22 mai 2026
Van Steenis Building - F1.02 Faculty of Archaeology Leiden University, the Netherlands - Leiden University (Pays-Bas)
Pottery was a major technological innovation in early human societies, enabling durable storage, cooking, and transport, while also supporting the development of specialised skills. In West Asia, its emergence is closely linked to sedentary life and increasing social complexity. However, the study of early pottery in southeast Arabia (the Oman Peninsula) remains relatively underdeveloped. This is due to the region's shorter history of archaeological research, the later adoption of pottery (not until the Early Bronze Age), and ongoing difficulties in establishing reliable chronological frameworks. Limited stratified excavations, scarce scientific dating, and inconsistent terminology have further hindered the integration of findings across projects. Although detailed studies exist for individual sites, they are often isolated and fail to provide a broader, comparative understanding of pottery production and use across the region. This fragmentation restricts insights into wider socioeconomic transformations, including trade, cultural exchange, and technological transmission. To address these issues, the international workshop "Clay in Common" will bring together specialists in Arabian ceramic studies to reflect on the current state of the field and develop collaborative strategies. Through thematic sessions, focused discussions, and methodological exchange, participants will identify barriers to regional synthesis and chart new directions for cooperative research. The workshop aims not only to establish a clear picture of pottery production, use, and distribution in Bronze Age southeast Arabia, but also to lay the groundwork for sustained dialogue, shared typological frameworks, and long-term research partnerships. The workshop will take place on 21-22 May 2026. It is organised by Jennifer Swerida (Leiden University, the Netherlands) and Mathilde Jean (Paris Nanterre University, France) in Leiden, with the support of the Fritz Thyssen Foundation.
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Lieu de la conférence