We are pleased to invite you to contribute to a forthcoming special issue entitled "Scaling Up! Setting Conditions and Structuring of Large-Scale Pottery Workshops in Diachronic and Transregional Perspective". 

- Call for papers (en)(.pdf)

This special issue is being prepared within the framework of the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR)–funded project FACT.WORK (First proto-industrial ceramic FACTories in the 7th–2nd millennia BCE in Mesopotamia and the Levant: WORK organization from proto-urban settlements to supra-regional kingdoms), directed by Johnny S. Baldi (CNRS UMR 5133 - Archéorient, Lyon).

The aim of this issue is to bring together archaeological and ethnological case studies of large-scale pottery workshops from a wide range of regions and periods. By comparing the technical, environmental, and social conditions underlying their emergence and organisation, we aim to foster a broad discussion on the dynamics of production upscaling in pottery craft. Through this comparative perspective, we seek to assess whether recurrent patterns or shared organising principles can be identified across diverse chrono-cultural contexts. Please find attached a detailed call for papers providing further information on the scope of the issue.

If you are interested in contributing, we invite you to send us a provisional title and abstract of your paper by 6 March 2026. Full manuscripts would be expected by the end of 2026.

While special issues are usually published following a workshop, we propose to proceed in the reverse order. Contributing authors will also be invited to participate in a dedicated workshop to be organised during the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) 2027 conference, which will be held in Leiden (Netherlands) in early September 2027. This workshop would provide an opportunity for in-depth collective discussion and comparison of case studies published in the issue, fostering a transregional and transhistorical perspective on the setting-up and organisation of large-scale pottery workshops.  

Please let us know as soon as possible if you would be interested in taking part in this project, and feel free to share this invitation to any colleagues who might also be interested. We look forward to your contributions!

For abstract sending or questions, please contact both: 
- jsb.arch@gmail.com
- clairepadovani2@gmail.com