I was invited to spend the two weeks between July 7th and 21st cataloguing the architectural ceramics (ceramic building materials) recovered from the excavations at Sagalossos since 1990, and to provide a site guide of the more common materials found at the site.

The majority of the material examined probably dates from the Roman and Byzantine periods, but there were a number of interesting red slipped items of probable late Hellenistic date which had been reused in the later phases of development in the city. These earlier materials included roof tile, gutters and architectural mouldings.

Large numbers of the Roman material had animal prints on them - mainly dogs and goats, but also the occasional cat, donkey, barefoot children and an adult’s hobnailed sandal. The large number of such prints tells us that this material was largely manufactured on working farms, with tile making only one activity of the many seasonal tasks being carried out. Some tiles had examples of freehand drawing as well as writing in Greek written onto the drying tiles, showing that the epigraphic habit was spread through the different orders of society. Stamped tiles and bricks with batch marks, in Greek, were also present showing that parts of the tile production industry was quite organised at certain periods.

The main type of brick used in the Roman and Byzantine structures was the square Pedalis’ typically measuring 26 x 26 cm (c. 1 Roman foot) which were typically used in courses of 4 bricks high between stone rubble courses. Other brick sizes were also uses in the creation of the hypocaust pillars, and the floors above them in the bathhouse. All bricks were found with keying marks, usually an ‘X’ on the upper surface.

There is evidence of two types of roofing style used in the city. The Corinthian style comprises tegulae - a large flanged tile typically measuring 48 x 39 mm and weighing around 12 kg and imbrices - triangular and later curved cover tiles which were used to protect the connecting edges of tegulae from rain. The tegulae were marked with signatures by the tile maker, presumably indicating the identity of who made them. The other type of roofing is known as Laconian, which comprises large curved tiles, measuring c. 62 x 41cm and weighing around 10 kg, with curved imbrices.