136 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA

Estimating Storage Capacity of Late Minoan Pithoi Using Three-Dimensional

Computer Modeling: A Case Study from Kavousi Vronda
Kevin T Glowacki, Texas A&M University, Leslie P. Day, Wabash College, Ryan R.
Collier, Corgan Associates, and Matthew Miller, Texas A&M University
Accurate calculation of the storage capacity of ceramic assemblages offe
insights relevant to many types of archaeological analyses, including funct io
and design variability, craft specialization, the establishment of standard urn
of measurement, and economic organization at household and supra-household
levels. Traditional methods of calculation based on fluid or dry volume have been
limited to intact or completely reconstructed vessels. For fragmentary vessel ,
where only a profile drawing may be available, capacity has been estimated usin
standard volumetric formulas, "stacked cylinders," computerized algorithms, or,
more recently, three-dimensional modeling software. This study discusses the use
of three-dimensional models to estimate the storage capacity of large ceramic stor-
age jars (pithoi) from the Late Minoan mc settlement at Kavousi Vronda in eastern
Crete. While pithoi are a common type of vessel at the site, none was found intact
and only a few examples were complete enough to be restored physically. Based
on standard profile drawings, three-dimensional models of the best-preserved ves-
sels enable us to calculate both the storage capacity and the amount of clay used
in construction. Pithoi from domestic contexts generally have storage capacities of
approximately 100-125 liters, although vessels with both smaller and larger inte-
rior volumes are attested. Extremely large pithoi, with capacities of approximatel
300-890 liters, are found in only one building, highlighting that structure's special
status. The application of this method also allows for instructive comparisons with
vessels from other sites, shedding light on local and regional traditions of produc-
tion and consumption in Late Bronze/ Early Iron Age Crete.
Dreams and Realities ofThree-Dimensional Scanning in Archaeology
Philip Sapirstein, University of Pennsylvania
Three-dimensional documentation in archaeology is increaSingly popular,
although it is still uncommon to see any three-dimensional scanning equipment
actually used on Mediterranean projects. However, three-dimensional scanners,
while somewhat unfamiliar in the field, are becoming affordable for many archae-
ological applications.
With the support of an ACLS Digital Innovation Fellowship for the 2010-2011
year, I am experimenting with a color three-dimensional scanner-the Creaform
VIUscan-to create a digital catalogue of several hundred architectural fragments
from the Heraion at Mon Repos, Corfu. The project is a representative test of the
effectiveness of three-dimensional scanning. The late seventh-century B.C. temple
has great significance to our understanding of the development of Greek monu-
mental architecture, but its reconstruction remains uncertain. With few parallels
among contemporary buildings and many enigmatic types of architectural ter-
racottas and blocks, high-resolution computer models are the most secure method
for testing reconstructions of the rich excavated assemblage.