F2024_Archaeology 202 10162024_Technoloiges - Pottery

Overview of Ceramics in Archaeology

  • Ceramics play a crucial role in archaeological studies as they provide insight into ancient cultures and practices.

Oldest Ceramics

  • Venus of Dolní Vestonice

    • Location: Czech Republic

    • Age: 31,000-27,000 years old

Oldest Pottery

  • Xianrendong in the Yangtze Basin

    • Established dates: 19,200-20,900 cal BP (calibrated years before present)

  • Yuchanyan Cave

    • Location: Hunan Province, China

    • Age: Sherds found from sediments dated between 15,430 and 18,300 cal BP

    • Significance: Contains the second oldest pottery in the world, with at least two pots identified.

Jomon Pottery (Japan)

  • Historical Context:

    • Period: From about 13,000 to 2500 BP

  • Characteristics:

    • Semi-sedentary food foraging cultures

    • Name "Jomon" translates to "cord-mark" in reference to decorative techniques.

    • Function: Used ceramic vessels for various purposes such as storage and cooking.

    • Notable Designs: Early ceramics featured patterns of lines on bag-shaped vessels; later periods saw more decorative styles.

Virginia Indian Wares

  • Transition from soapstone to clay pottery

    • Example: Soapstone wares (e.g., Croaker Landing Wares)

    • Approximate Age: 4500 BP

    • Dimensions: 3 IN. (8 CM.)

Historical Development of Pottery

  • Potter's Wheels in Mesopotamia:

    • Emerged around 4,000 years ago, marking a significant advancement in pottery manufacturing.

The Evolution of Pottery Studies

  1. Ceramics In Archaeology

    • Brief history, evidential significance, methods of analysis, problems encountered, and conclusions drawn.

  2. The Art Historical Phase (Pre-19th Century):

    • 1464AD: Early descriptions of prehistoric pots in Germany.

    • 1587: Excavations of prehistoric vessels and the establishment of formal excavation reports.

    • 17th & 18th Centuries: Focus on collecting decorative pieces for wealthy patrons.

    • Antiquarian interests continued into the mid-19th century.

  3. Typological Phase (Mid 19th to mid 20th Century):

    • Increased interest due to the rise in excavations, especially Roman pottery discoveries.

    • Emphasis on systematic categorization (typology) of pottery.

    • Notable methods introduced by Pitt-Rivers and Flinders Petrie, including seriation for chronological analysis.

  4. The Contextual Phase (Post-1956):

    • Shepard's 1956 synthesis on ceramics shaped contemporary methodologies.

    • New techniques: C14 dating, neutron activation, thin sectioning, and residue analysis.

    • Improvements in recording and illustration methods.

  5. Technology and Manufacture:

    • Production methods (e.g. wheel vs. hand-built) can be identified through various indicators.

    • Wheel-thrown pottery indicates advanced technological capabilities, particularly during the Roman era when pottery production scaled up.

    • Firing methods discernible from clay color and surface marks.

  6. Dating Evidence:

    • Predominantly relative dating techniques based on associated artifacts or existing typologies.

    • C14 dating used for organic residues present in ceramic vessels.

  7. Trade and Distribution:

    • Pots served as trade goods and containers for commodities.

    • Fabric analysis reveals clay source, enabling tracing of trade influence.

Pottery Analysis Methods

  • Typological Analysis: Evolves vessel styles and form to date pottery.

  • Fabric Analysis: Geological makeup to identify clay source.

  • Residue Analysis: Analyzing organic material for dating or dietary insights.

Function and Status Determination**:

  • Function inferred from residue analysis, contextual materials, and scientific methods.

  • Pottery re-use is common; function impacted by associated materials.

  • Status reflected through fabric type and manufacturing methods:

    • Coarse pottery suggests lower status.

    • Fine pottery and wheel-thrown wares indicate higher status, often with decorative elements that may misrepresent true value (e.g., samian wares).