Conference Abstracts by Ashley Cercone
Archaeological University Collections: Past Lessons and Future Goals, 2023
Traditionally, archaeological and modern art collections are utilized by students, faculty, and s... more Traditionally, archaeological and modern art collections are utilized by students, faculty, and staff from anthropology, art, art history, classics, history, and museum studies to learn how to conduct collections research, design museum exhibits, draw, observe elements of visual and formal analysis, as well as host outreach events for nearby schools and the general public. However, for about the past fifteen years, medical professors and universities have debated the role of the humanities in medical school programs and argued for its integration because past research has shown that humanities-based courses and workshops create more observant and empathetic doctors. To survive in the medical profession a curiosity about the unknown and tolerance of uncertainty is essential given the frequent encounter with trauma, death, and chronic ill health. Healthcare today needs not just the scientific skills, but also reflective practice and human connectedness. In Fall 2021, the University at Buffalo Art Galleries began collaborating with the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences to develop a therapeutic humanities workshop entitled ‘Thriving in the Presence of Uncertainty.’ Over the 2021-2022 academic year, 100 internal medicine and chief residents and 30 third- and fourth-year medical students learned to thrive when faced with uncertainty by engaging in four activities that combined hands-on crafts and, modern art and archaeological artifacts from the archaeological, ethnographical, and modern art collections at the Anderson Gallery. Following this workshop, the majority of doctors and students felt more comfortable with unknown situations, sensed a growing community amongst their peers, and experienced less stress than earlier in the day. This paper will present our interdisciplinary initiative for the first time to museum professionals and archaeologists, discuss its results, and argue for other universities and museums to reach beyond the traditional boundaries of our teaching collections.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
ASOR, 2023
Küllüoba is an archaeological site situated between western and central Anatolia, and boasts laye... more Küllüoba is an archaeological site situated between western and central Anatolia, and boasts layers of occupation spanning from the Early Chalcolithic (ca. 3300 BCE) to the Transition to the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 1950 BCE). During the end of the Early Bronze Age II (ca. 2700-2500 BCE) into the Early Bronze Age III (ca. 2500-2000 BCE), many changes occurred in Anatolia, including the slow adaption of the potter's wheel and the heightening of interregional networks. Due to Küllüoba's geographic location between northern and southern Anatolia, and the Aegean and Marmara regions, it has long been thought that the mound played an active role in trade networks during this period of time. This paper will present the results of the first-ever petrographic study of ceramics from Küllüoba dating from the Early Bronze Age, highlighting localized craft production as well as the presence of non-local pottery.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
EAA 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting, 2020
Despite the wide application of morphometrics throughout the fields of biology and physical anthr... more Despite the wide application of morphometrics throughout the fields of biology and physical anthropology, the study has barely touched archaeology and material culture. Recently, archaeologists have used morphometrics to answer questions regarding craft production and standardization. With the application of morphometrics, namely, shape analysis, archaeologists can learn more about the required technical knowledge and learned body gestures needed to produce ceramics. In December 2019, an experimental archaeology workshop was held at Bilecik Şeyh Edebali Üniversitesi (Turkey), where first- through fourth-year archaeology and art students were shown how to use a pottery-mold and then asked to replicate the process. Following the workshop, the experimental ceramics were photographed and analyzed using shape analysis. The data was then compared to the results from a shape analysis study that was conducted on experimental pottery produced by a professional potter of more than 30 years. This paper shares the results of this comparative study, as well as discusses broader questions of the transmission of technical knowledge and the development of technical skills in potting communities.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Moving across Syria-Mesopotamia to Anatolia and finally to the Aegean, potters during the Bronze ... more Moving across Syria-Mesopotamia to Anatolia and finally to the Aegean, potters during the Bronze Age gradually began to shift their ceramic repertoire from hand-made and coil-made ceramics to wheel-made pottery. Despite this rise in innovative manufacturing technology (the potter’s wheel), some sites in Western Anatolia, namely Seyitömer Höyük, exhibit ceramics that are made using semispherical molds. Specifically, at the Seyitömer Mound archaeological evidence has suggested that potters preferred utilizing molds rather than the potter’s wheel to produce standardized pottery at a fast rate. In recent years, with the discovery of wheel-made pottery, particularly in the Levant and Aegean islands, scholars have turned their focus to assessing the fabrics of these ceramics using petrography and X-radiography for identifying forming techniques, and ethnographic studies for understanding the production and transmission of knowledge. Despite their numerous publications, these authors have heavily focused on the rise of the potter’s wheel and neglected the use of mold technology. This paper discusses preliminary results yielded from experimental archaeology with the help of traditional potters in Turkey using both the mold and potter’s wheel in order to recreate various forms of Bronze Age ceramics.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
During the Early Bronze Age, the site of Seyitömer Höyük in Western Anatolia, served as both a ce... more During the Early Bronze Age, the site of Seyitömer Höyük in Western Anatolia, served as both a center for ceramic production and trade. Through the innovative use of a mold-making technique, as well as a clay coil and wheel combination method, potters were able to produce a standardized diverse ceramic repertoire at a fast rate. Within the site assemblage, a variety of ceramic types are represented, including the depas amphikypellon, a two handled drinking vessel. Depas vessels originating from both local mounds, such as Küllüoba, and foreign locals, like Syros-Kastri, Poliochni, and Kültepe are also present. In addition to these cups, used for both libation and everyday use, zoomorphic rhyta have been uncovered that depict two animals holding a depas cup. This paper reconsiders the daily and ritual uses of the depas cup in light of the Seyitömer Mound excavations and discusses the movement of this vessel type throughout the Aegean islands, Balkan Peninsula, and Anatolian and Syro-Mesopotamian mainlands.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Au début de l’âge du bronze, un réseau de routes commerciales toujours plus vaste a relié l’Anato... more Au début de l’âge du bronze, un réseau de routes commerciales toujours plus vaste a relié l’Anatolie aux mondes mésopotamiens et méditerranéens. À la citadelle de Seyitömer, une demande de plus en plus importante de poterie a inspiré la construction d’ateliers spécialisés, où une technologie innovante de fabrication de moules a été appliquée à la façon d’une opération à la chaîne rationnelle, pour créer une large production de céramiques standardisées. Grâce à l’étude des céramiques au Musée archéologique de Kütahya, au Musée archéologique de l’université de Dumlupınar et aux Fouilles de sauvetage de Seyitömer Höyük, nous avons pu apprendre comment les moules étaient utilisés. Sur la base de ces analyses et de recherches supplémentaires, cette illustration présente une vue d’ensemble de cette production à la chaîne y compris une nouvelle théorie illustrée qui détaille les étapes du processus de production à la chaîne. Il est probable que ce moule naissait d’une boule demi-sphérique posée sur le côté plat et d’une dalle d’argile pressée sur le moule pour lui donner une forme. Ensuite, une base était créée en y laissant tomber, en y pressant où en y ajoutant un pied en anneau. Cette étude nous a permis de comprendre le processus effectué à la citadelle de Seyitömer et de déterminer l’expression anatolienne de ce métier et donc, en effet, l’histoire de la production de masse.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
During the Early Bronze Age at Seyitömer Höyük, ceramics begin to be standardized in their shape ... more During the Early Bronze Age at Seyitömer Höyük, ceramics begin to be standardized in their shape and size through the use of a mold-making process. Evidence from the archaeological record suggests that this innovative technique is incorporated at the site due to the increase in trade and demand for ceramics from other settlements in Anatolia, from nearby Küllüoba to faraway Troy. The early use of a mold-making process establishes Seyitömer Höyük's pivotal role as a ceramic hub and trading center. This paper provides an overview of the evidence for ceramic production and trade at the site, as well as reexamines the current theory of how molds were utilized. Using ceramics housed at the Kütahya Archaeological Museum and Dumlupınar University Archaeological Museum, we analyze how molds were employed to create an abundance of ceramics and propose a new theory detailing this seminal production process.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Conference Proceedings by Ashley Cercone
Erken Tunç Çağ’da, Seyitömer Höyük’te, kalıp kullanımıyla beraber üretilen seramiklerin şekil ve... more Erken Tunç Çağ’da, Seyitömer Höyük’te, kalıp kullanımıyla beraber üretilen seramiklerin şekil ve boyutlarında belli bir standartlaşma söz konusudur. Eldeki arkeolojik bulgular, böylesi devrimsel bir tekniğin seramik ticaretinde ortaya çıkan talep artışından dolayı oluştuğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Bu ticaret Küllüoba yakınlarından Truva’ya kadar Anadolu’nun çeşitli yerleşim birimlerine kadar uzanan bir hatta gerçekleştirilmektedir. Bu çalışmada bölgedeki seramik üretiminin ve ticaretinin ortaya çıkışı ana hatlarıyla analiz edilmiş, bunun yanı sıra kalıpların kullanım şekliyle ilgili ortaya atılan son teori de yeniden ele alınmıştır. Kütahya Arkeoloji Müzesi’nde ve Dumlupınar Üniversitesi Arkeoloji Müzesi’nde bulunan seramiklerden faydalanarak, kalıpların zengin seramik çeşitliliği yaratmak için nasıl kullanıldığı incelenmiş ve bu üretim işleminin ayrıntılarına ışık tutacak yeni bir teori önerilmiştir.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Talks by Ashley Cercone
During the Early Bronze Age III in Anatolia, potters slowly shifted their ceramic forming techniq... more During the Early Bronze Age III in Anatolia, potters slowly shifted their ceramic forming techniques from hand-made to wheel-made. This change can also be seen across the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East. Since 1989 archaeologists have been increasingly more interested in why this change occurred. To shed light on this research question, archaeologists have employed experimental archaeology, as well as x-radiographic and petrographic studies. This afternoon-long workshop will discuss how experimental archaeology can be utilized to examine ceramics in the past and even help identify different potting technologies in the archaeological record. Following the lecture, workshop participants will be invited to experiment with these technologies, particularly the pottery mold that was utilized at Seyitömer Höyük.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Exhibitions by Ashley Cercone
Discussing Health & Wellness Virtually Selections from the Cravens Collection & Edgar R. McGuire Historical Medical Instrument Collection, 2021
Discussing Health and Wellness Virtually is the culmination of a semester of research conducted b... more Discussing Health and Wellness Virtually is the culmination of a semester of research conducted by the University at Buffalo’s combined Anthropology Museum Studies course and interdisciplinary Master’s Program in Critical Museum Studies. This online presentation is a selection of objects from the Cravens and Edgar R. McGuire Historical Medical Instrument collections. The Cravens Collection comprises more than 1,100 artifacts from across the globe and represents 10,000 years of human achievements, while the Edgar R. McGuire Historical Medical Instrument Collection
contains more than 150 medical instruments spanning from the Classical Period to nineteenth century. This project explores the topics of health and wellness from a global point of view, inspired by the current COVID pandemic. In December 2019, news
spread across the world about an outbreak of a new type of coronavirus, first reported in Wuhan, China. By March 2020, universities and schools worldwide rapidly closed and transitioned to online learning. Educators were forced to adapt to new ways of
teaching and communicating with students. In light of the current conditions, this presentation explores various concepts of health, well-being, and diseases through a diverse group of objects dating from the Late Roman Period to the early twentieth century and spanning Africa, the Americas, and Europe. The featured objects include vessels for medicine (Gourd Vessel, Miniature Flask, Zoomorphic Figure, Leech Jar), surgical tools for everyday life and urgent procedures (Set of Three Roman Instruments, George Tiemann & Co. Surgical Kit), objects used to ask for fertility and agricultural abundance (Legba Fetish, Lagalagana/Iagalagana Figure), and items of protective or good energy (Lidded Vessel). Collectively, these objects tell stories of how humans have sought to heal and protect ourselves and ensure the same for our progeny through resourcefulness, ingenuity, and spiritual exploration.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Conference Posters by Ashley Cercone
During the Early Bronze Age, an ever-expanding network of trade routes linked Anatolia to the Mes... more During the Early Bronze Age, an ever-expanding network of trade routes linked Anatolia to the Mesopotamian and Mediterranean worlds. At the citadel of Seyitömer an increased demand for ceramics inspired the construction of specialized workshops, where innovative mold technology was applied within a streamlined production pipeline, to create an abundance of standardized ceramics. We examined how molds were employed through the study of ceramics at the Kütahya Archaeological Museum, the Dumlupınar University Archaeological Museum, and the Seyitömer Höyük Rescue Excavation. Based on this analysis and additional inquiry, this poster presents an overview of the production pipeline, including a new illustrated theory detailing the steps in the clay molding process. It is probable that the molding process began with a semi-spherical hump mold positioned flat-side-down and a clay slab pressed over the top of the mold to establish a form. Later, an optional base was created by dropping, pressing, or adding a foot ring to the clay form. Furthering our understanding of the clay molding process at the citadel of Seyitömer has allowed us to better define the Anatolian expression of this craft and, indeed, the history of mass production.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The Bronze Age in Europe is noted for an increase in foreign interaction and trade, yet some area... more The Bronze Age in Europe is noted for an increase in foreign interaction and trade, yet some areas show few signs of receiving non-local goods. Using chemical analysis of Bronze Age ceramic pastes from the cemetery of Békés 103 and nearby clay sources, this poster seeks to investigate trade networks and exchange between the people of the site and other areas of the Great Hungarian Plain.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Uploads
Conference Abstracts by Ashley Cercone
Conference Proceedings by Ashley Cercone
Talks by Ashley Cercone
Exhibitions by Ashley Cercone
contains more than 150 medical instruments spanning from the Classical Period to nineteenth century. This project explores the topics of health and wellness from a global point of view, inspired by the current COVID pandemic. In December 2019, news
spread across the world about an outbreak of a new type of coronavirus, first reported in Wuhan, China. By March 2020, universities and schools worldwide rapidly closed and transitioned to online learning. Educators were forced to adapt to new ways of
teaching and communicating with students. In light of the current conditions, this presentation explores various concepts of health, well-being, and diseases through a diverse group of objects dating from the Late Roman Period to the early twentieth century and spanning Africa, the Americas, and Europe. The featured objects include vessels for medicine (Gourd Vessel, Miniature Flask, Zoomorphic Figure, Leech Jar), surgical tools for everyday life and urgent procedures (Set of Three Roman Instruments, George Tiemann & Co. Surgical Kit), objects used to ask for fertility and agricultural abundance (Legba Fetish, Lagalagana/Iagalagana Figure), and items of protective or good energy (Lidded Vessel). Collectively, these objects tell stories of how humans have sought to heal and protect ourselves and ensure the same for our progeny through resourcefulness, ingenuity, and spiritual exploration.
Conference Posters by Ashley Cercone
contains more than 150 medical instruments spanning from the Classical Period to nineteenth century. This project explores the topics of health and wellness from a global point of view, inspired by the current COVID pandemic. In December 2019, news
spread across the world about an outbreak of a new type of coronavirus, first reported in Wuhan, China. By March 2020, universities and schools worldwide rapidly closed and transitioned to online learning. Educators were forced to adapt to new ways of
teaching and communicating with students. In light of the current conditions, this presentation explores various concepts of health, well-being, and diseases through a diverse group of objects dating from the Late Roman Period to the early twentieth century and spanning Africa, the Americas, and Europe. The featured objects include vessels for medicine (Gourd Vessel, Miniature Flask, Zoomorphic Figure, Leech Jar), surgical tools for everyday life and urgent procedures (Set of Three Roman Instruments, George Tiemann & Co. Surgical Kit), objects used to ask for fertility and agricultural abundance (Legba Fetish, Lagalagana/Iagalagana Figure), and items of protective or good energy (Lidded Vessel). Collectively, these objects tell stories of how humans have sought to heal and protect ourselves and ensure the same for our progeny through resourcefulness, ingenuity, and spiritual exploration.