Papers by Will Wootton
Antiquity, 2023
White marble sculpture is a cornerstone of Western art history. Archaeological inquiry, however, ... more White marble sculpture is a cornerstone of Western art history. Archaeological inquiry, however, has demonstrated that Classical sculpture and its associated architecture were once coloured. The authors examine the Parthenon Sculptures at the British Museum to identify traces of colour and carving on their surfaces. Using close examination and archaeometric techniques, the study shows that the sculptors finished surfaces with textures that reflected specific elements (e.g. skin, wool, linen) and these were then enhanced through the application of colour, including a purple colourant and Egyptian blue. The latter was used extensively to paint elaborate figurative designs on the carved textiles. Despite the complexity of the carved drapery, elaborate ornament was applied to the finish. The findings encourage a reconsideration of the appearance of the Parthenon in the fifth century BC.
Archaeometry, 2021
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analyses of loose glass t... more Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) analyses of loose glass tesserae from the Northwest Quarter of Gerasa/Jerash has enhanced our understanding of the dynamics regulating the production and circulation of glass tesserae in second-to eighth-centuries CE Jordan and the diachronic development of mosaics at the site. The identification of Levantine and Egyptian compositions (Roman-Mn, Levantine I, HIMT, Foy 2.1) proves the continuous production of mosaics from the second to the seventh centuries. The Levantine I tesserae were made by the recycling and colouring of glass cullet. The gilded tesserae, in contrast, were all of an Egyptian base glass, likely illustrating the import of finished tesserae.
In Lichtenberger, A. & Raja, R. (eds.), Gerasa/Jerash: from the Urban Periphery, 2017
Alcock, S., Egri, M. & Frakes, J. (eds.), Beyond Boundaries: Connecting Visual Cultures in the Provinces of Ancient Rome (Los Angeles), 2016
Libyan Studies, 2015
This is a review of a project aimed at assisting the Libyan Department of Archaeology with the co... more This is a review of a project aimed at assisting the Libyan Department of Archaeology with the conservation and management of their mosaic heritage. Over the course of a year we undertook an evaluation trip along the coast of Libya and then put on two workshops for the Department's staff to help build capacity. The workshops disseminated complementary content on the protection of mosaics and their management to two different contingents: managers and technicians. The teaching was intended to empower Libyans by giving them the confidence to make simple and sound decisions, and to encourage them to join more formal training courses run by major international organisations.
Pensabene, P. & Gasparini, E. (eds.), Interdisciplinary Studies on Ancient Stone. ASMOSIA X: Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference of ASMOSIA (Association for the Study of Marble & Other Stones in Antiquity), Rome, 21-26 May 2012 (Rome), 2015
In Michaelides, D. (ed.), The 10th Conference of the International Committee for the Conservation of Mosaics (ICCM). Conservation: An Act of Discovery (Palermo), 2014
Journal of Roman Archaeology, 2015
In Kristensen , T. M. & Poulsen , B. (eds.), Ateliers and Artisans in Roman Art and Archaeology, 2012
American Journal of Archaeology, 2012
The find from Tel Dor is a rare example of a virtuoso Hellenistic picture mosaic from the Levanti... more The find from Tel Dor is a rare example of a virtuoso Hellenistic picture mosaic from the Levantine coast. A technical analysis of the fragments documents the techniques and sequence of its production. These methods suggest that the work was done by highly skilled, possibly itinerant craftsmen working in situ. This article places a variety of issues of craftsmanship within the broader scope of mosaic making in the Hellenistic period. In particular, the mosaic from Tel Dor falls within the pro- duction of a cosmopolitan group of mosaicists operating in two primary ways: traveling between cities to take up special commissions or setting up for longer periods of time in specific locations. The Levantine coast should now be added to the well-known areas of Hellenistic mosaic making. Epigraphic sources and new finds suggest a more vibrant craft in, and stemming from, this region, where mosaicists could easily find the two prerequisites for mosaic making: materials, including colored glass, and wealthy patrons who wanted high-quality floor mosaics.
Essays in Classical Archaeology for Eleni Hatzivassiliou 1977-2007, 2008
Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 2007
Journal of Roman Studies, 2008
Libyan Studies, 2005
"This paper is a preliminary report on the Spring 2005 season of the excavations at Euesperi... more "This paper is a preliminary report on the Spring 2005 season of the excavations at Euesperides (Benghazi). Work continued in Areas P and Q, and on the processing of finds from the 2005 and previous seasons. In Area P a series of domestic deposits dated to the last quarter of the fourth or first quarter of the third century BC was excavated, including a hearth, a probable domestic altar and associated votive deposits, and a series of post-holes perhaps connected with furniture and a loom. Two small external yard areas seem to have been used for purple dye production. In Area Q late occupation to the west of the street is dated to the late fourth century BC; to the east of the street, the latest stratigraphy appears to have been truncated and the occupation levels so far excavated here date from 470 down to 300 BC. Selected finewares from the excavations are presented, ranging in date from the sixth to the third centuries BC. Work on the coarse pottery and amphora assemblages has begun to distinguish products of different production centres within Cyrenaica. Besides demonstrating the quantities of imported coarsewares from Corinth, the Aegean and the Punic world, we can now recognise four classes of Cyrenaican amphorae, including exports present at Punic Sabratha. The study of the wall plaster, environmental remains and other finds are also briefly discussed. Euesperides is a site both of archaeological importance and of considerable scientific interest for its rare wetland vegetation, but both of these aspects remain vulnerable to ongoing damage as a result of urban development, uncontrolled rubbish dumping and a lack of effective protection of the site."
Journal of Roman Archaeology, 2002
Conference Presentations by Will Wootton
Repair: A Method for the 21st Century?
Free online conference hosted by the Department of Art Hi... more Repair: A Method for the 21st Century?
Free online conference hosted by the Department of Art History and World Art Studies UEA, 27-28 May 2021. Keynote speaker is Professor Ana María Reyes (Boston University): 'To Weave and Repair: On Symbolic Reparations and Institution-Building'.
To register, please email ama.schooloffice@uea.ac.uk
Monograph by Will Wootton
Anderson, M.A. and D. Robinson with contributions by H. E. M. Cool, Richard Hobbs, Charlene Murphy, Jane Richardson, Robyn Veal, Helen White, Will Wootton. 2018. House of the Surgeon, Pompeii: Excavations in the Casa del Chirurgo (VI 1, 9-10.23). Oxbow. , 2018
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any ... more All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher in writing.
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Papers by Will Wootton
Conference Presentations by Will Wootton
Free online conference hosted by the Department of Art History and World Art Studies UEA, 27-28 May 2021. Keynote speaker is Professor Ana María Reyes (Boston University): 'To Weave and Repair: On Symbolic Reparations and Institution-Building'.
To register, please email ama.schooloffice@uea.ac.uk
Monograph by Will Wootton
Free online conference hosted by the Department of Art History and World Art Studies UEA, 27-28 May 2021. Keynote speaker is Professor Ana María Reyes (Boston University): 'To Weave and Repair: On Symbolic Reparations and Institution-Building'.
To register, please email ama.schooloffice@uea.ac.uk