Kiln Quarter at Histria

The kiln quarter was a dedicated zone for the creation and firing of ceramics, including containers and kitchenware (such as plates, bowls, amphorae, oinochoai, etc.) that fell under certain styles, such as greyware, red slip, and black gloss. These were made locally, as evidenced by the stratified deposits left over from several phases of Histria’s urban history, reflecting continuous production across centuries. Such stratigraphic deposits appear as early as the Archaic period (7th-4th centuries), but kiln use and pottery production did not begin until the Classical period (5th-4th century). Use continued and intensified throughout the Hellenistic period (3rd-2nd century), with new materials and the rebuilding of the quarter. Despite its periods of dormancy, the quarter remained separate from residential and sacred spaces and seems always to have been set aside for pottery production. However, by the end of the 2nd century, the kilns showed signs of collapse and neglect, suggesting abandonment. There is evidence that throughout the life of the kiln quarter, as kilns broke down, they were recycled either as waste-holders or replacement floors. However, the slow progression of abandonment may have been due to changing economic interests or to changes in urban planning and land use. The kiln quarter was buried between the end of the 2nd century and the beginning of the 1st century, with discarded items left behind in the kilns indicating they were no longer in use.