Presenze ceramiche egee e cipriote ad Ugarit tra XIV e XII sec. a.C.: modalità di arrivo e distribuzione alla luce dei testi ugaritici di carattere economico

Abstract

Aegean and Cypriot ceramic materials at Ugarit between 14th and 12thcenturies B.C.: modalities of arrival and distribution on the basis of theUgaritic economic texts.
This paper analyzes the possible modalities of arrival and distribution ofthe Aegean and Cypriot ceramic materials in the Ugaritic society on thebasis of the economic texts dating between 14th and 12th centuries B.C.The arrival of these ceramic classes seems to be due to the economic roleof the Ugaritic merchant élites, which acted in connection both with thepalace and with other international élites, in particular Cypriot merchants.The distribution in the site of these materials seems to be connected to theeconomic relations between the Ugaritic merchant élites and the non-éliteparts of the society. This system allows to understand the noteworthyabsence of any reference to Aegean merchants in the Ugaritic textualevidence and to shed light on the symbolic meanings which these ceramicmaterials had in the Ugaritic society.
lorenzo.mazzotta@fileli.unipi.it