Glazed pottery from the Maroneia cave in Aegean Thrace

An exceptional quantity of glazed ceramics was unearthed from the Maroneia cave located on Mt. Ismaros, in Aegean Thrace, north of the homonymous city. It consists mainly of open vessels: Sgraffito, “Black and Green Painted”, “Slip painted” and Monochrome ware. Zeuxippus derivatives comprise the most abundant group, a great amount of which is associated with the local Mikro Pisto workshop in the vicinity. The Mosynopole and Serres workshops are attested too; a unique example belongs to Lemnos workshop. The cave offered a refuge to the Maroneia habitants during the Normans’ raids in 1185, the tumultuous times of the Latin conquest of Constantinople as well as throughout the Catalans’ raids and seaward piracy.