Articles by Luca Ciavattini

Pottery studies are traditionally linked to methods of surveying and manual documentation of ceramic material. Only recently have they been impacted by the introduction of many auxiliary digital tools (digital cameras, 3D modelling software, etc.) in the last two decades. This contribution presents our preliminary results regarding one of the most recently utilised tools in ceramological studies, the Laser Aided Profiler (LAP). We applied this tool to analyse pottery from the archaeological site of the Byzantine neighbourhood near Pithyon in Gortyn, Crete (GQB). LAP has proved very effective in speeding up the on-site digitalisation of pottery drawing. During this experience, however, we were also faced with a new series of difficulties, trying to push the LAP to its limits. The drawing of complex shapes or specific textures was somehow unsuitable for the instrument. We intend to delve into the empirical methods and practices adopted in the early stages of approaching the use of LAP in GQB, exposing problems and expectations for its use by studying the different types of Gortyn materials.