Silas, How exciting!
I am currently writing my dissertation on Ottoman (aka Turkish) ceramics
and am very interested in your query. For years I've said (mainly in jest)
that after finding Western European material in Turkey, someday I would
find Ottoman ceramics in the states. You can imagine how excited I am by
your posting, and learning that I am not all that far off...
Would you be able to send me more information on references to the sites
and finds you mentioned? Looking forward to seeing the references.
I assume that these wares are going to be rare this far out, although they
were widely popular and inspired a number of majolica wares, etc.
One place I would like to explore for this - but have never had an
opportunity - would be Saint Augustine, Florida; I remember many years ago
seeing an exhibit at the National Greek Orthodox Shrine Museum dedicated
to the first colony of Christian Greeks who came to America in 1768.
Nothing as nice as Kuthaya ware was on exhibit, but I would be surprised
if there were no similar finds. Of course, your trade goods (I am
assuming) could be very different than what we might find at an Ottoman
diaspora (?!?!) community. I also wonder what is locked away in the
storerooms. Might our St. Augustine colleagues know more about this? This
may be one place to look.
Also from Florida, Uzi Baram found (and I confirmed) a tile from Kutahya
at Rosemary Cemetery, in Sarasota. The tile is probably 19th century, but
it is a bit of a mystery.
http://www.geocities.com/osmanli_kazasi/baram.html
Indeed, something is going on!
Feel free to contact me for more info, more ID or references if needed,
etc... I'm more than happy to help out, as you have made my day!
Cheers,
Lynda Carroll, Project Director
Public Archaeology Facility
Binghamton University, SUNY
Binghamton, NY 13902-6000
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