GREY WARE IN SICILY, BETWEEN EAST AND WEST

Between the end of the eighth century BC and the first half of the seventh century BC in eastern Sicily a high-quality Grey Ware appeared that was similar to that of Anatolia. The spread of this ceramic type seems to correspond to the area of influence of the Chalkidian colonies in eastern Sicily. In the Greek cities of Sicily—and particularly in Syracuse—in contexts ranging from the late seventh century to the first half of the sixth century BC we have also a group of grey vases with common elements, such as handles with lateral cones. The colour of the clay, not always uniformly grey, suggests that many of the Sicilian vases might be local imitations of imported items. The lack of precise comparisons does not allow us to understand whether, in Sicily, the metal models were imitated or whether the Anatolian Grey Ware reproductions of metal vases were imitated.