AIECM3 conference: Call for Papers

Pottery production and circulation in Northern Africa from Late Antiquity to the Post-Medieval Period (6th-18th Century CE)

The third thematic conference of the Association Internationale pour l’Étude des Céramiques Médiévales et Modernes en Méditerranée (AIECM3) will be held from 2-4 December in Tunis-Oudhna and is being organised by Viva Sacco (UCL), Chokri Touihri (Institut Nationale du Patrimoine) & Corisande Fenwick (UCL).

Northern Africa - the southern Mediterranean coast from Morocco to Egypt - has long played a pivotal role in the cultural and economic dynamics of the Mediterranean. Pottery, as both a chronological indicator and historical source, has been central to our understanding of these transformations particularly during Late Antiquity, when central North Africa was a major hub for the production and export of ceramics, notably African Red Slip (ARS) ware and amphorae.

While these well-known categories have received substantial scholarly attention, much less is known about pottery intended for local and regional use, trans-desert trade, and production in areas such as Algeria, Libya, and Morocco. After Late Antiquity, ceramic production systems underwent significant changes, along with the role of North African ceramics within broader Mediterranean trade networks. However, these developments remain understudied, especially for the 8th and 9th centuries, where limited archaeological research hinders the construction of robust ceramic chronologies. Nonetheless, emerging data challenges outdated narratives of economic stagnation during this period, pointing instead on continued regional production and persistent external connections.

From the 10th century onward, research has largely focused on glazed wares, which marked significant technological innovation and domestic habits changes. Yet other essential ceramic categories - such as cooking wares and amphorae - have received comparatively little attention. The 10th century also witnessed the so-called Fatimid commercial revolution, which expanded international trade, particularly across the central and southeastern Mediterranean. Although ceramic export volumes during the medieval period did not reach those of the Roman and Late Antique periods, North Africa remained a key supplier of new ceramic forms and played an important role in the circulation of goods, including, notably, Chinese imports via Egypt.

With few exceptions, ceramic production in North Africa from the 12th century to the post-medieval period remains poorly understood, with most studies centered narrowly on glazed tableware. Furthermore, the dominant historiographical focus on maritime powers like Venice and Genoa has often overshadowed North Africa’s potential contributions to Mediterranean commerce and ceramic innovation.

This conference aims to bring together researchers to reassess and enrich our understanding of North African pottery production, which has been underrepresented in recent AIECM3 congresses. The goal is to identify gaps in current knowledge of this long and transformative period, foster collaboration, and define priorities for future research. Many studies and projects currently focus on this part of the Mediterranean, and we believe the time is right to bring these efforts together and stimulate a forward-looking academic
dialogue.

Call for Papers

Conference Objectives
This conference seeks to reassess the role of North African ceramic production in the broader context of Mediterranean archaeology between the 6th and 18th centuries, emphasizing underexplored medieval and post-medieval phases. It aims to foster collaboration and consolidate emerging research across the region.

The conference aims to address two main themes:
1. Establish a comprehensive status quaestionis, including

• Map the current state of ceramic studies in North Africa, from Morocco to Egypt between the 6th to the 18th centuries
• Highlight lesser-known ceramic traditions from Late Antiquity, including regional, handmade, painted wares, and storage vessels
• Refine pottery chronological indicators, especially for the medieval and post-medieval periods
• Analyse changes in ceramic production systems over time

2. Understand the evolving role of North African ceramics

• Examine North Africa's changing role as a producer and supplier within the Mediterranean
• Assess its influence as an innovator and trendsetter in ceramic technologies and styles
• Explore the impact of North African pottery on other Mediterranean traditions through imitation in form, decoration, and technology
• Investigate the transmission of knowledge and techniques, including the movement of artisans and production systems, through archaeological science

The congress welcomes contributions addressing these themes, aiming to increase the visibility of North African ceramics within Mediterranean scholarship and shape the future direction of this growing field.

Contributions will consist of oral presentations and posters, and they will feature both invited speakers and submissions via an open call. Conference languages: French, English.

• Oral presentation: Communications will have a maximum duration of 20 minutes followed by a discussion.
• Poster: Specific investigations will have a place as posters. The posters will be presented on vertical DIN A0 (118x84 cm).

Deadline for submissions

Proposals must be sent to Viva Sacco (v.sacco@ucl.ac.uk) by 15 July 2025 and must include title, author's name, e-mail, institutional affiliation, abstract (300-400 words) and the type of participation (oral presentation or poster). All the contributions will be evaluated and submitted for approval to the international committee of the AIECM3. The committee may change the type of participation of proposals.

Authors will be notified of acceptance of their contribution no later than September 2025. Authors will also be invited to publish their contributions in the conference proceedings, which will be available as open access. Additional information will be provided during the conference.

To encourage the participation of researchers from North Africa, the committee will allocate funds to reimburse travel and/or accommodation expenses for a select number of presenters. Please indicate in your proposal if you wish to apply for these funds. The committee will notify applicants in September 2025 regarding this funding.

The final programme will be published in September 2025 and included on the AIECM3 website.

Corisande Fenwick leads the ERC-funded EVERYDAYISLAM project while Viva Sacco has been awarded a British Academy International Fellowship, hosted by UCL.

Top image courtesy of Wiktoria Krzoska (Archaeology South-East, ASE).