# Hellenic Studies at CHS: Reflections from Aikaterini Peppa, Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2025–2026 June 03, 2026 The Center for Hellenic Studies is pleased to highlight the work of [Aikaterini Peppa, Early Career Fellow in Hellenic Studies 2025–2026](/fellows/aikaterini-peppa "Aikaterini Peppa"). During her fellowship, which started on July 1, 2025, and will conclude on June 30, 2026, Aikaterini explored the complex relationship between material culture, technology, and cultural interaction through the lens of medieval ceramic production. In the guest post below, she reflects on her research and her experience as a CHS fellow. ![Portrait of Aikaterini Peppa](/sites/g/files/omnuum7151/files/styles/hwp_3_4__480x640/public/2026-05/Aikaterini-Peppa-Portrait.jpg?itok=c7AOab7e) This fellowship not only transformed my approach to the study of pottery but was also an exceptionally enriching experience that was made especially meaningful thanks to the kindness and generous encouragement of my fellow researchers and all the people who helped and supported us throughout the program. ## Guest post by Aikaterini Peppa The CHS fellowship offered me the opportunity to explore the complex relationship between material culture, technology, and cultural interaction through the study of ceramic production. I became particularly interested in this topic after realizing that references to potters were surprisingly limited in the textual sources of Late Antiquity and Medieval period, despite the omnipresence of ceramic artifacts in the archaeological record. This discrepancy highlighted the need to combine archaeological and textual evidence in order to study the technologies, artisanal skills, and social structures behind pottery production. At the beginning of the project, at the Annual Research Workshop in Nafplio I presented the methodological framework of my research, which combined archaeological and textual approaches in order to investigate the transmission and adaptation of ceramic technologies. Engaging with specialists from different fields helped refine my research questions as it encouraged further reflection on issues such as the distinction between professional and makeshift pottery makers. ![Three small handmade clay cups on a speckled concrete surface.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7151/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/2026-05/Comparative%20results%20of%20experiments%20on%20a%20pottery%20clay%20recipe.jpg?itok=zpDrZWJk) Comparative results of experiments on a pottery clay recipe.This research was further enriched through experimental practice. Alongside the analysis of archaeological and textual evidence, I explored ceramic production through hands-on experimentation adopting an almost self-ethnographic perspective in order to better understand the learning process, the acquisition of technical skills, and the transmission of artisanal knowledge. The errors and technical difficulties encountered along the way ultimately proved the most valuable, as they highlighted aspects of the learning process that neither textual nor archaeological evidence fully conveys. (The photograph captures one of the difficulties I encountered during the application of a clay slip, which became evident only after firing because I had not let the slip dry properly beforehand) ![Top view of a round, dark ceramic bowl on a textured stone background.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7151/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/2026-05/Experimental%20ceramic%20plate%20showing%20imperfections%20in%20slip%20application.jpg?itok=EF-xwoQP) Experimental ceramic plate showing imperfections in slip application.Another particularly enriching aspect of the fellowship was the opportunity to present my work before the members of the CHS research community during our visit to the Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington DC. Discussing my research with scholars working primarily on texts encouraged me to broaden my methodological perspective. During the fellowship, I also had the opportunity to visit museums and collections, where I was able to observe firsthand ceramic wares that I had previously known only through archaeological reports and scholarly publications. Of particular interest were the pottery collections of the Museum of Asian Art in Corfu and the pottery collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art. Seeing these objects offered valuable insights into regional interactions and shared technological traditions. Overall, by combining archaeological data, textual analysis, and experimental practice, the project opened new ways for me to think about the pottery production economy and the people behind it. It also generated new research ideas concerning technological specialization and the social dimensions of craft activities as well as artistic cross-pollination in the medieval world. This fellowship not only transformed my approach to the study of pottery but was also an exceptionally enriching experience that was made especially meaningful thanks to the kindness and generous encouragement of my fellow researchers and all the people who helped and supported us throughout the program, especially Evan Katsarelis and Katerina Schinochoriti as well as Ryan Pasco, Zoie Lafis and Olivia Henderson. ![Person shaping a small clay cup on a pottery wheel with a smoothing tool.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7151/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/2026-05/Pottery%20in%20the%20making.jpg?itok=WWabtjeL) [ Learn about the Early Career Fellowships in Hellenic Studies in Greece and Cypr… arrow\_circle\_right ](https://greece.chs.harvard.edu/research-fellowships/early-career) See also:- [ Research Opportunities ](/activities-type/research-opportunities) - [ Ancient Greece ](/activities-field/ancient-greece) - [ Middle Ages ](/activities-field/middle-ages) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)