Abstract
The aim of this seminar was to deepen the study of three crafts dealt with in lecture thanks to a discussion with the specialists who excavated these installations in Pompeii. Laetitia Cavassa presented the craft of pottery in general and the two potters' workshops she excavated between 2013 and 2016; she emphasized the contribution of experimentation to a better understanding of the excavated remains, in particular the potters' towers. Martine Leguilloux explained the tanning processes used by the Romans to produce leather; the contribution of medieval and modern sources and the observation of traditional practices still in use in North Africa were of great help in interpreting Pompeii's tannery installations. Philippe Borgard gave his vision of textile craftsmanship, which he considers to be an export, and explained ancient processes thanks to experiments he carried out in the Roman town of Riez (Reiis Apollinaris) and in Pompeii itself (in V 1, 4) using alum mordanting and madder dyeing in antique boilers restored for the occasion.
