Carmela Franco

Period: 2010 – 2014
Supervisor: Prof. Andrew Wilson
Thesis: Sicilian Amphorae (AD I-VI): an economic analysis of production and distribution

 
Project Description
The project aimed to analyze the amphorae produced in Sicily from the Early Imperial Age to the Early Byzantine period. Interest in Sicilian amphorae and their economic importance is a recent phenomenon, previously hampered by the belief that they had only local distribution and by the lack of programmed analyses and excavations.

My research involved collecting all the available published material concerning commercial amphorae produced locally, as well, importantly, as unpublished data obtained through the Sicily Archaeological Superintendence or universities and research institutes.

The project outlined the micro and macro levels of commercialization of the amphorae, looking at the different relative quantities of each amphora type and consequently the level of production in regions inside and outside Sicily, while considering presences and absences within the more general and homogeneous context of the Mediterranean basin. It was possible to construct a map of the circulation of Sicilian amphorae, which had never before been attempted, and to establish the preferential channels of trade and the areas in which these classes of materials were distributed. Archaeometrical analysis was a key part of the research and helped determine the places of origin of the amphorae, their production, distribution, circulation, and consumption patterns.

CV
Carmela Franco graduated cum laude in 2003 at the University of Palermo in Classics. After completing a Masters at the University of Bologna (2003–2004) concerning the restoration of archaeological artefacts, she specialized in Classical Archaeology at the Scuola di Specializzazione at the University of Catania (2004–2007). Her thesis was about the reconstruction of transmarine commerce and the understanding of the circulation of imported pottery during the Roman and Byzantine periods as evident from the late Roman settlement of Carabollace along the south-western coast of Sicily. She was a research assistant for the “Roman Sicily Project”, developed by the Italian CNR, focused on the analysis of economic dynamics in Sicily during the Roman period through the ceramic evidence. She had a similar position in other international projects, such as the project led by IBAM-CNR (Director: D. Malfitana) and CNRS (Director: M. Bonifay): “Archaeometrical and archaeological problems in the import of Africans ceramic in Roman and Byzantine Sicily. Status questions and methodologies”. She has worked in several excavations in Sicily, in mainland Italy, and Tunisia. From 2008 she has been involved in the editing of FACTA. A Journal of Roman Material Culture Studies. Her main fields of interest are in Roman material culture, landscape, and urban archaeology in Roman Sicily.

Publications

Book:
D. Malfitana, C. Franco (forthcoming): La Sicilia romana. Cultura materiale, territori, economie. L’evidenza ceramica. Catania.

Journal article:
C. Franco (2008), ‘Western Sicily: the transport amphorae evidence’, in D. Malfitana et alii 2008 ‘Roman Sicily Project: Ceramics and Trade. A multidisciplinary approach to the study of material culture assemblages. First overview: the transport amphorae evidence’. Facta. A Journal of Roman material culture studies 2: 145–159.

C. Franco (2008), ‘General overview of transport amphorae in Roman Sicily mentioned in the text’, in D. Malfitana et alii 2008 ‘Roman Sicily Project («rsp»): Ceramics and Trade. A multidisciplinary approach to the study of material culture assemblages. First overview: the transport amphorae evidence’. Facta. A Journal of Roman material culture studies 2: 174–180.

D. Malfitana, C. Franco, A.L. Palazzo, M.G. Morgano (2007): ‘Bibliography of recoveries of Roman ceramics in Italy’, in Rei Cretariae Romanae fautores, Communicationes, Acta 39.

Book section:
C. Franco (2010), ‘La raccolta dei dati sulla Sicilia occidentale e centrale: prime indicazioni’, in D. Malfitana; C. Franco; A. Palazzo; G. Fragala’, ‘Un progetto multidisciplinare per lo studio della cultura materiale della Sicilia romana”. In: F. D'andria, D, Malfitana, N. Masini, G, Scardozzi (eds), Il dialogo dei Saperi. Metodologie Integrate per i Beni Culturali. Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, Napoli: 200–210.

C. Franco (2010), ‘La gestione dei dati’, in D. Malfitana; C. Franco; A. Palazzo; G. Fragala, ‘Un progetto multidisciplinare per lo studio della cultura materiale della Sicilia romana (“Roman Sicily Project: ceramics and trade”. In: F. D'andria, D, Malfitana, N. Masini, G, Scardozzi (eds.), Il dialogo dei Saperi. Metodologie Integrate per i Beni Culturali. Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane, Napoli: 216–230.

V. Caminneci, C. Franco, G. Galioto (2010), ‘L’insediamento tardoantico in contrada Carabollace (Sciacca-AG): primi dati sui rinvenimenti ceramici’. In: S. Santoro, M. Pasquinucci, G. Guiducci, S. Menchelli (eds.) Late Roman Coarse Wares, Cooking Wares and Amphorae in the Mediterranean. Archaeology and Archaeometry. Comparison between Western and Eastern Mediterranean. Oxford: 273–282.