Imported Pottery from the Bruges Area

This paper is concerned with the imported pottery found in 12th- to 15th-century contexts in the region of Bruges; it comprises a survey of the archaeological evidence and a discussion1. General trends in the presence of foreign pottery and variations in their quantity and origin are considered with reference to specific sites; some possible factors governing the presence/absence of imported ceramics (trade in pottery for its own sake, commercial activities, competition with local wares, protectionism by town legislation, the theory of ‘imports staying in the ports3, coincidence, etc.) are also discussed.