Dr. Gloria London (Independent Scholar, Seattle WA)
Lecture in Memory of Dr. Sarah Keller

A Danish police officer, who volunteered for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, spent his spare time documenting traditional technologies, especially those related to pottery production, farming, and bread. Knud Jensen recorded over 60 pitharia, the immense jars for fermenting wine, produced for centuries until 1972. He correctly speculated that the names incised on unfired jar shoulders held information about the history of Cyprus. Detective Jensen’s police training successfully enabled him to trace century-old jars back to the people who made and them used. His findings, combined with more recent ethnoarchaeological research, provide practical templates to: 1) reconstruct the ancient ceramics industry; 2) assess the markings on archaeological pottery; and 3) explain the multiplicity of traditional and ancient regional terms for essential household items.