The influence of imported wares on the local pottery in medieval Flanders (10th-15th centuries)

This contribution wants to stress the importance of the influence of imported pottery on the local wares. In the 10th century - a period of domestically produced and mostly handmade pottery - several instances of influences stemming from imported products can be identified. The well-made, wheel-turned imitations of Pingsdorf-type pottery suggest that more organised pottery productions, reflecting higher technical skills, already existed. They may have been located in the economic centres of that period, like the portus at Gent or Tournai, and probably reflect an early commercial production, as well as the beginning of competition on the Flemish pottery market. But because at this time the data for the early medieval period (/.e. Merovingian and Carolingian times) are scarce or remain unpublished, it is not clear to what extent this production had older roots.

Some of the technical improvements, new forms or new decoration techniques had long term influences. In this respect, the 12th century in particular is a very important period: this is when the basis of the ceramic production in late and post-medieval Flanders was created. It does not seem a coincidence that in the same period the well-organised local pottery production definitely took off.