Brands may be considered a distinctly modern phenomenon, but humans have been trading (and coveting) “branded” goods for thousands of years, according to archaeologists at the University of Vienna in Austria.
Writing in PLOS One, the researchers described a particular type of painted pottery (previously known as Midianite Pottery) that was so characteristic of a particular region and so in demand across Arabia and the Levant during the Middle and Later Bronze Age that they say it can be considered an ancient “brand.”
The product originated in the kilns of Qurayyah, a walled oasis in what is now Saudi Arabia. Here, pottery would have been shaped and fired before being carted off to destinations hundreds of miles away.
“Oasis-dwellers were resourceful and inventive enough to create their own ceramic repertoire to cherish at home and eventually export abroad,” lead author Marta Luciani, an associate professor for the archaeology and history of Western Asia at the University of Vienna, said in a statement.
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Defining The Characteristics Of An Ancient Brand
Branded pottery
(Image Credit: Marta Luciani, Qurayyah Joint Archaeological Project CC BY 4.0)
Markers, such as logos and packaging, are routinely used to identify specific brands — just think of the color red, which is often associated with Coca-Cola, or a 2D apple, which is a trademark of a certain technology brand. The historical equivalent of which might have been an inscribed clay seal or a potter’s mark. But while previous analyses may have looked to the latter as evidence of ancient branding, Luciani and colleagues considered the product itself.
Explore All OptionsIn total, the team identified eight criteria. These included a clear visual identity, consistency in the materials used, a centralized production process, technological continuity, commercial intentions, a cultural reputation, an export market, and attempts at local imitation.
Applying The Criteria To The Pottery Of Qurayyah
To find out how the two-color painted pottery — called Qurayyah Painted Ware — stacked up against the eight criteria, the team analyzed dozens of artifacts unearthed at the site. The team also examined pottery found at two locations in modern-day Jordan, Tell el-Kheleifeh and Pella.
Studying the physical and chemical properties of the artifacts enabled the team to trace the pottery’s evolution, from its invention in the late Middle Bronze Age (about 3,600 years ago) to later iterations in the final Iron Age.
The results suggest the initial period was one of greater experimentation in terms of decoration. However, the style became more uniform and idiosyncratic over time, even as potters continued to use local raw materials and traditional manufacturing methods.
By the Late Bronze Age (about 3,200 years ago), the product had become more standardized and the brand more established. Qurayyah Painted Ware was a highly sought-out commodity, exported from its manufacturing hub in northwestern Arabia to communities as far afield as Jordan and Israel.
"Our discovery sheds light on how even in the arid environment of desert oases, where essential resources such as clay, water, and fuel were scarce, local communities already in the Bronze Age were far from marginal but participated in wider networks of technological know-how shared with neighboring regions, such as the Southern Levant and Syria,” said Luciani.
The Walled Oases Of Arabia And The Late Bronze Age Trade
Walled Oasis of Qurayyah.
(Image Credit: Marta Luciani, Qurayyah Joint Archaeological Project CC BY 4.0)
Qurayyah existed as a permanent settlement between the third millennium B.C.E. and the first millennium C.E.
Walled oases, like Qurayyah, were an adaptation to the aridification of Arabia but became significant trading hubs following the domestication of the camel, sometimes between the second and first millennium B.C.E. According to UNESCO, their location between Egypt, the Levant, and South Arabia provided a key spot for exchanging goods along the frankincense road.
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Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
- This article references information from a study published in PLOS One: Creating a brand. Genesis, transformation and diffusion of Qurayyah Painted Ware
- This article references information from UNESCO: The Ancient Walled Oases of Northern Arabia
