Abstract
This paper examines what imported building materials – brick, tile and decorative stones – can add to our understanding of the commercial connections between North African urban centres, the wider Mediterranean, and especially Italy. Although assemblages of Italian brick and tile in North Africa have usually been explained as the remnants of ballast cargoes, there are good reasons to think that these objects were highly valued and imported for specific jobs. In this sense, the import of brick and tile and the import of decorative stone should be considered together. The desire to (re)create Roman-style buildings, especially baths and large roofed structures like basilicas, while at the same time engaging with wider currents of architectural display, underpinned the demand for these materials in North Africa.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | De Africa Romaque |
Subtitle of host publication | Merging Cultures Across North Africa |
Editors | Niccolo Mugnai, Julia Nikolaus, Nicholas Ray |
Place of Publication | London |
Publisher | Society for Libyan Studies |
Pages | 173-184 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781900971331 |
Publication status | Published - 20 Nov 2016 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- North Africa
- Roman archaeology
- Brick
- Marble
- Return cargoes