Tracing interconnected lifeways in the rural Aegean (7th-9th centuries AD): The case of the utilitarian artefacts of the Apalirou Environs Survey Project (Naxos – Greece)

We present insights into economic trends, manufacturing traditions and daily food practices across the Aegean region during the relatively poorly understood 7th-9th centuries AD. The data have been studied as part of the intensive systematic survey by the ‘Apalirou Environs Project’ (AEP), which investigates the historic landscape dominated by the Byzantine fortification of Kastro Apalirou, on the island of Naxos (Greece). The analysis and interpretation of ceramics, set in the context of an increasing body of evidence for the vibrant Early Medieval communities populating the island, demonstrates the significant role of Naxos in interregional maritime networks during this period.