Future Research and Collaboration in Samian Studies: new directions for curators and researchers.

罗马世界的典型餐具是一种精美的红色光泽模具制成的陶器，今天被称为terra sigillata或（在英国）samian ware。在西欧，最早的sigillata陶器是在意大利北部（阿雷佐附近）生产的。意大利的产品被高卢的产品所取代，而高卢的产品又被北非的产品所取代。这些陶器的特征很容易辨认，再加上在许多年代接近的环境中发现了萨米安陶器（比如与公元60-61年伦敦的布迪肯起义和科尔切斯特有关的破坏层），这意味着萨米安陶器已经成为考古学家研究罗马帝国年代的主要证据来源。尽管它对理解和欣赏罗马考古学很重要，但对关键参考作品的批判性评价却姗姗来迟（Willis 1997）。许多标准参考资料早在第二次世界大战之前，并且没有根据战后萨米人年表、类型学和整个罗马考古学的进展进行重新评估。相反，在更广泛的考古报告中，萨米人的研究已经支离破碎，并且越来越被划分开来（Willis 1998）。与此同时，研究萨米人的专家数量也在减少，这将导致未来明显的技能短缺。在英国的许多博物馆和大学里都有萨米人的重要藏品。这些藏品代表了萨米人研究先驱们的个人参考藏品，如菲利克斯·奥斯瓦尔德（收藏在达勒姆大学和诺丁汉大学）和阿尔弗雷德-爱德华·普利克（收藏在诺丁汉大学、大英博物馆和国立古萨米人协会（巴黎）、克莱蒙费朗、莱顿和蒙彼利埃），以及最近发掘的萨米人藏品（例如伦敦博物馆的藏品）。迄今为止，几乎没有跨机构的工作来最大限度地发挥这些共享馆藏的研究潜力。该研究研讨会提案旨在通过促进对萨米陶器有研究兴趣或持有重要藏品的机构之间的讨论，探索英国收藏的研究潜力。目标成果是：1)为今后十年的萨米人研究建立一个研究框架；2)确定潜在的研究和培训机会，使新一代萨米人专家能够出现；Iii)探索机构和个人之间潜在的未来研究合作伙伴关系；iv)建立一个标准化的、可数字化访问的策展和档案系统，从而实现对藏品的更大程度的分析和综合。这个项目是及时的，因为它承认国际和国家对振兴和推进萨米人研究的兴趣日益增长。美因茨研究所建立了一个基于地理信息系统的测绘工具，用于调查生产和分销地点，从而引领了这一领域。该工具利用了来自不同机构的samian藏品的数据库记录（http://www.rgzm.de/samian/home/frames.htm）。在英国，史蒂夫·威利斯（肯特大学）在英国遗产基金会的支持下，利用从考古遗址检索到的数据，推出了一个在线的萨米人资源。迈克尔·富尔福德教授（雷丁大学）最近发起了一项由英国学院资助的项目，在布莱恩·哈特利去世后出版利兹收藏——萨米安·波特邮票的利兹索引。拟议的研究研讨会旨在将这些新的专业知识结合起来，目的是分享知识，传播最佳实践，并强调研究伙伴关系和培训新专家的未来机会。

The quintessential tableware of the Roman world was a fine red gloss mould-made pottery known today as terra sigillata or (in the UK) samian ware. In Western Europe, the earliest terra sigillata pottery was produced in northern Italy (around Arezzo). The Italian products were supplanted by those of Gaul, which were themselves superseded by North Africa wares. The easily recognisable characteristics of the pottery, coupled with the discovery of samian in a number of closely dated contexts (such as the destruction layers associated with the Boudican revolt in London and Colchester in AD 60-61), have meant that samian ware has become a primary source of dating evidence for archaeologists studying the Roman Empire. Despite its importance to the understanding and appreciation of Roman archaeology, a critical appraisal of key reference works is long overdue (Willis 1997). Much of the standard reference material predates the Second World War and has not been reassessed in the light of post-war advances in samian chronology, typology and in Roman archaeology as a whole. Instead samian studies have fragmented and become increasingly compartmentalised within wider archaeological reporting (Willis 1998). Coupled with this is a recognised decline in the number of specialists in samian studies, which is leading to a distinct skills shortage for the future. Key collections of samian exist in a number of museums and universities across the UK. These represent the personal reference collections of samian study pioneers, such as Felix Oswald (collection split between the Universities of Durham and Nottingham) and Alfred-Edward Plicque (collection split between the University of Nottingham, the British Museum, and the Musée d'Antiquités Nationales (Paris), Clermont Ferrand, Leiden and Montpellier) and collections formed from more recent excavations (e.g. the collection held at the Museum of London). To date little cross-institutional work is done to maximise the research potential of these shared collections.This Research Workshop proposal aims to explore the research potential of the UK collections by facilitating discussion between institutions that have research interests in, or hold key collections of, samian pottery. The target outcomes are i) the establishment of a research framework for samian studies for the next decade, ii) the identification of potential research and training opportunities to enable a new generation of samian experts to emerge, iii) the exploration of potential future research partnerships between institutions and individuals and iv) the establishment of a standardised and digitally accessible curation and archival system which enables a greater degree of analysis and synthesis across collections.This project is timely in that it acknowledges a growing international and national interest in revitalising and advancing samian studies. The Mainz Institute has led the field by establishing a GIS-based mapping tool for the investigation of production and distribution sites. This tool draws on database records of samian collections from a variety of institutions (http://www.rgzm.de/samian/home/frames.htm). In the UK, Steve Willis (University of Kent), with support from English Heritage, has launched an online samian resource using data retrieved from archaeological sites. Professor Michael Fulford (Reading University) has recently initiated a British Academy-funded project to publish the Leeds Collection following the death of Brian Hartley - the Leeds Index of Samian Potters' Stamps. The proposed Research Workshop aims to bring this new expertise together with the intention of sharing knowledge, disseminating best practice and highlighting future opportunities for both research partnerships and the training of new specialists.