Prehistoric ceramics

Jeunesse C. (2021) From invention to innovation: technical systems in late Prehistory, in: F. Klimscha, S. Hansen, J. Renn (eds.), Contextualising ancient technology. From archaeological case studies towards a social theory of ancient innovation processes, Berlin Studies of the Ancient World 73, 2021 Edition Topoi / Exzellenzcluster Topoi der Freien Universität Berlin und der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, p. 57-66.

The concept of technical system is a major tool to improve our understanding of the history of techniques. A technical system is a coherent set of interdependent techniques sharing all or part of their chaînes opératoires and forming a ‘paradigm’ of its own within the technical range of a society. The ultimate major technical system to be set up in the course of Prehistory is the ‘mixing-and-combustion technical system’ (MCTS). The MCTS is responsible for the invention of ceramic about 33 000 years ago. For the first time man allows himself to substantially modify his environment through a process which is a matter of both hybridization and empiric chemistry. The main inventions
of the MCTS are of Palaeolithic age. Their turning into innovations is the very essence of the neolithisation process.

This paper represents Version 2016.11.23 of my identification and sorting criteria for the laboratory analysis of prehistoric ceramic sherds. While not all inclusive, it does descriptions of most aplastic inclusions found in ceramic sherds in the eastern United States from the Midwest eastward.

The possibility that the 'Otzi' grass cloak was originally made up of two parts is examined in this paper. The main focus of the paper is the possible miss-interpretation of some Bronze Age Trevisker Ware ceramics as being made solely of Gabbroic clay. This paper suggests that local clays next to the Trevisker site in North Cornwall were mixed with crushed degraded gabbroic firestones.

Nearly 800 prehistoric pottery sherds were examined from excavations at the hilltop site of Mursi, near Butrint, Albania, in 2010. The ceramics, excavated from stratified deposits in Unit 1 (Area 1), include cooking, coarse, semi- fine, and fine wares dating between the 13th and 11th century BC. Combined research strategies of stratigraphic excavation, soil analysis, and examination of pottery, lithics and other finds, in conjunction with AMS radiocarbon (C-14) and thermoluminescence (TL) dating, confirm that the site’s prehistoric occupation phases date to the Late Bronze Age (LBA: c. 1450–1070 BC), with some possible continued occupation into the beginning of the Early Iron Age (EIA: c. 1070–800 BC).  This study reviews the deposition and preservation of Mursi’s LBA ceramics and presents a typology of five ceramic wares from the site, based on macroscopic fabric characteristics (inclusions, colour, firing, surface treatment) and formal qualities (vessel shape, function, decoration).

The LBA assemblages from Mursi are compared with ceramics from Cape Stillo and Kalivo, two nearby prehistoric sites within the Pavllas River Valley. Ongoing analysis of ceramics from Mursi, Cape Stillo and Kalivo employing inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) is offering opportunities to identify more precisely where these wares were being produced in comparison to where they were recovered. Mursi’s C-14 dated LBA ceramics help to confirm the prehistoric dates of the Pavllas River Valley assemblages collected from Cape Stillo and Kalivo, which taken together represent a valuable regional set for examining the co- development of LBA and EIA ceramic ware categories in southwestern Albania. Their ongoing analysis using ICP-MS can offer a regional picture of site interactions and ceramic use through time.

Preliminary results suggest that specific wares and forms were produced and distributed via domestic modes of production, accommodating different preferences by site. Ultimately, it is hoped that the C-14-dated ceramic deposits from Mursi can help to establish the Pavllas River Valley typology as another body of material that can assist in piecing together decades of survey and rescue excavation results from prehistoric Epirote sites in order to understand, without reference to modern political borders, how sites on the edges of Mycenaean and Illyrian worlds interacted.

The Prehistoric mound called Kanlıtaş is located in Eskişehir/İnönü Province at the edge of a mountainous region at NW Region of Anatolia. The Mound which is located in a small valley (Kuzfındık), is almost the biggest and best preserved of Chalcolithic Porsuk settlements. The site has similar material with Orman Fidanlığı from Early, Middle and Late Chalcolithic habitation plus EBA remains on eastern slopes. The excavation work focused on the hill part of the settlement which rests on a huge basalt rock block inside the valley. So far, in 11 trenches over 300 m2 was excavated during 3 years campaigns. 3 spaces that were under a thick burned layer, were defined with stone walls with large ovens in front of them or rock cut spaces. In an earlier layer underneath these structures, mudbrick buildings with hearths and silos were uncovered in 2014. In order to understand stone and mudbrick architecture which was unearthed in former years, the excavation was conducted with 10 x 5 m. trenches (M-16/17 and NO/18) intensively. In these trenches, especially in M-16/17 large scale ovens and bothroi have been discovered. On a new trenc (NO/18) a massif terrace (Ca.2m. in some parts) has been unearthed in front of a big mud platform with a big oven. The wall which is encircling the summit area of the settlement from east towards north, uncovered in also other threnches of 2015 (M-16/17, M-18). On the other hand, at SE corner of M-16/17 and the North section of NO-18 trench, a part of stone terrace wall has been deepened in order to understand the stratigraphy of the summit area onto the bedrock.
The study on ceramics from 2013 and 2014 seasons have already been finished. The details of Kanlıtaş calcolithic period ceramics which has shared mostly the same features with the ceramics of sister site Orman Fidanlığı such as ware and form groups, are given in details. The study on lithics since 2014 has continued also in 2015. The material and new context from new trenches have been studied as well as the stone raw material that has been added in 2015.

Porsuk Kültürünün tespit edilen en iyi korunmuş höyüğü olan Kanlıtaş Höyük (Eskişehir/İnönü), KB Anadolu’da dağlık ve ormanlık alanın sınırındadır. Jeofizik çalışmaları sonucunda, höyüğün batı eteğinde yer alan tarla kesiminde 3 ile 3,5 m. derinlikte yan yana dörtgen duvar örgü yapı unsurları tespit edilmiştir. Höyükte bulunan arkeolojik malzemenin genel değerlendirmesinde, höyüğün en erken MÖ 6. bin sonu Erken Kalkolitik Dönemden başlayarak kesintisiz Orta Kalkolitik,
Geç Kalkolitik, İlk Tunç Çağın sonuna kadar yaklaşık 3 bin seneyi aşan bir yerleşimin varlığı öngörülmektedir. Gerçekleştirilen kazı çalışmalarında, Höyüğün tepe kesiminde belirlenen 11 plan karede yaklaşık 325 m2 alan yatay şekilde ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Yerleşmenin tepe kesiminin
en son evresinde küllü dolgunun yerleşmenin bir yangın ile terkedildiği izlenimi vermektedir. Mimari üst evrede kaya oygu ve taştan dörtgen yapılar, bunların önünde veya içinde ocaklardan oluşmaktadır.
2015 yılında geçmiş dönemlerde tespit edilen taş ve kerpiç kalıp mimarinin devamını görebilmek
adına 10x5 olarak açılan M-16/17 ve NO/ 18 açmalarında yoğun şekilde çalışılmıştır. Bu
açmalarda büyük boyutlu fırınlar ve özellikle M-16/17 açmasında çöp çukurları tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca bu senenin en önemli yapı ve yerleşim unsuru olarak, üç açma boyunca (M-16/17, NO-
18, M-18) doğudan kuzeye dönen masif bir teras duvarı ortaya çıkarılmıştır. M-16/17 açmasının güney-doğu köşesinde ve hemen çaprazında, NO18 kuzeyinde tepe kesiminin anakayaya kadar
olan tabakalanmasının anlaşılması için derinleşme yapılarak höyüğün tabakalanması hakkında veriler elde edilmiştir.
2013 ve 2014 yılı çalışmalarında ele geçen seramiklerin çalışmaları bitmiştir. Bu raporda
ayrıntıları verilmiştir. Yapılan değerlendirmelerde ele geçen seramik buluntuların nitelikleri
hakkında detaylı bilgiler olarak verilmiştir. Kanlıtaş Höyük seramik malzemelerinin mal grubu, Kanlıtaş Höyük (Eskişehir/İnönü) 2015 Yılı Kazı Çalışması Sonuçları
form ve bezeme karakteri olarak Porsuk kültürü yerleşmelerinden biri olan Orman Fidanlığı ile ortak paydaya sahip olduğu görülmektedir. Bunun yanında 2014 yılında başlayan yontmataş çalışmaları 2015 yılında da devam ettirilmiştir. Yeni plan karelerden gelen malzeme ve kontekstler 2015 yılında da çalışılmış ayrıca taş hammadde kaynakları üzerindeki çalışmalar eklenmiştir. Buluntu grupları arasında en dikkati çeken, tıpkı geçen senelerde olduğu gibi mermer ve manyezit
gibi malzemelerden yapılan halka biçimli bilezikler ve aletlerin devam ettiği görülmüştür.

The passenger pigeon was an important food source for Native groups.
Prior to going extinct, pigeons would return to their nesting grounds each
spring in the beech dominant forests of the Allegheny National Forest
region. This in turn would cause Native groups to journey from their
distant settlements into the forests and set up camp to exploit this
important food source. As these birds came in great numbers, evidence
should exist in the archaeological record of their presence. This paper
examines a few sites where possible gizzard stones have been recovered
during recent Phase I archaeological studies conducted in the Allegheny
National Forest. These sites are typically found in areas of rich
anthropogenic soil associated with unique plant communities. In some
off-site areas zones of dark, rich soil occur suggesting chemical
alteration from another agent. It is proposed here that these areas might
represent former pigeon nesting and roosting areas.

On this Corded Ware Culture settlement site of Mienakker 546 sherds with a weight of 3 grams or more have been found. The most striking feature of these ceramics is their uniformity. The assemblage can be subdivided into two main wares; a large group of thin-walled ware (5-7.5 mm) and a smaller group of thick-walled ware (9-9.5mm). Almost all sherds are tempered with grog and sand (n=595, 91%). Plant temper occurs only in a small group of thick-walled ware.
The ceramics were most probably at least partially produced locally, as a stone tool used to smoothen or polish the surface of vessels was found.  44% of the rims and 25% of the wall sherds are decorated. Decoration was solely applied to thin-walled ware. Decoration made by impressing a cord is most frequent (n=119, 71%). This decorative motif is found only on sherds with a thickness ranging between 4 and 7.5 mm. Decoration made by impressing a spatula occurs on 49 sherds (29%). There are three motifs: zigzag decoration has been applied to eleven sherds with a thickness of 5-5.5 mm, decoration with horizontal rows of oblique spatula impressions in one direction (n=36, 21%) and in alternating directions (n=2, 1%) have been applied to sherds measuring 6-7.5 mm. The vessels are almost all tripartite with either a slender ‘beaker shape’
Only the thin-walled ware shows signs of cooking. Five types of meals were cooked in this thin-walled ware.
It is likely that a small number of vessels are related to the house (MKII) and the funerary structure (MKI), and thus to phases one and two of the occupation.
A comparison is made with the ceramics from the previously analysed nearby settlement site of Keinsmerbrug. The results are already very striking: Keinsmerbrug shows a large degree of variation in its ceramics, but the vessels were used to prepare only one type of meal. The ceramics from Mienakker are very uniform, but were used to prepare different types of meals.

From Skarkos to Poliochni: observations on the socio-economic development of the EBA settlements in the Cyclades and the islands of the Northeast Aegean

On the basis of the most recent excavation data from the Cyclades and the islands of the Northeast Aegean, a comparative study between the settlements of the two regions during the EBA is attempted. The aim of the study is to understand better the similarities and differences at the level of material culture and, by extension, at the level of socio-economic organization, between the two areas. Skarkos on Ios and Poliochni on Limnos are used as representative examples for the Cyclades and the islands of the Northeast Aegean respectively, and, where necessary evidence from other settlements are included as well. At Skarkos only one phase of habitation, corresponding chronologically to the end of the Keros-Syros group period, has been confirmed by excavation to date. At Poliochni, the phases of occupation start from the Neolithic era, span the whole of the EBA and continue to the later periods.

The size of Skarkos is estimated at approx. 1.1 hectares, whereas the extent of Poliochni Green and Red (periods III-IV) is estimated at approx. 1.385 hectares and that of Poliochni Yellow (period V) at approx. 1.5 hectares. Consequently, Poliochni was approx. some 0.3 to 0.4 hectares larger than Skarkos. However, this does not necessarily imply that the population of Poliochni was proportionately larger than that of Skarkos, because Poliochni consisted of one-storey buildings.

The level of town planning appears to be equal at Skarkos and Poliochni. The adaptation of the town plan to the geomorphology, specifically the low hill on which each settlement was built, is excellent. There is also a correspondence in the separation of areas of private and common use in both sites. Recent research at the settlement of Markiani on Amorgos has shown that there were walled settlements in the Cyclades already from the Keros-Syros group period and possibly from the earlier Grotta-Pelos group period. The latter corresponds partly to Poliochni period II (Poliochni Blue period) during which the walls of the town were erected. At Poliochni there were communal wells for drawing water, whereas in the Cycladic settlements the source of drinking water was outside the site, as the evidence from Ayia Irini on Keos demonstrates. Both Poliochni and some Cycladic settlements, such as Ayia Irini on Keos and Markiani on Amorgos, featured drainage systems for rainwater.

Skarkos and Poliochni both developed in an agglomerative manner, yet the different geomorphology of the heights on which they were built and the different architectural tradition resulted in: two-storey buildings with independent external walls at Skarkos and one-storey buildings with common external walls with the neighbouring buildings at Poliochni. At both sites, some of the buildings are larger and more complex than others, a feature indicating social stratification. The houses in both settlements are otherwise similar in architectural arrangement and basic functions. The courtyards were used, apart from their other functions, as cooking areas at Skarkos on Ios, Kastri on Syros and Emborio on Chios.

Certain similarities between the artefacts of Skarkos and Poliochni are present as well. Large barrel-shaped pithoi for the storage of goods and ellipsoidal stone querns for the grinding of cereals were common in both settlements. Clay spoons, disk-shaped objects made of potsherds, simple or pierced, bone tubes and pointed tools are included in the household equipment at both sites. Finally, in both settlements a statement of ownership or personal identity was necessary, as the seals found at Poliochni and the seal-impressed rectangular clay objects excavated at Skarkos reveal.

The Mary Rinn site (36IN29) is a prehistoric village located in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. Based on previous research, it is currently believed that Mary Rinn is a Late Woodland (ca. A.D. 1030-1250) prehistoric village. Much is still unknown about the site, including its cultural and temporal affiliations. Artifacts and features recovered from past excavations indicate that populations from multiple cultural traditions may have lived here, including the Monongahela, Fishbasket Complex, and Mead Island cultural traditions. This research seeks to understand the dynamics of village life through an analysis of the ceramic materials. The analysis includes a haphazardly selected sample of the ceramics from the existing collection curated at the IUP Archaeological Laboratory. In order to address cultural and temporal affiliation and behaviors inside and outside of the village plaza, the analysis will examine several categorical attributes, including decoration pattern (e.g., incising) and temper material (e.g., quartz), as well as numerical measurements such as sherd thickness. Finally, this study will compare ceramics collected from testing areas inside and outside the village plaza. By comparing these different spatial areas, this investigation will be able to address research questions regarding different activities that may have occurred in different locations within the site.

The study of a selection of the Corded Ware settlement ceramics from Zeewijk, a site located in the Dutch coastal zone,
has yielded some very interesting results. All over the Zeewijk site thin to medium thick-walled, sometimes cord- or
spatula-decorated beakers were found that were used to cook meals. This preference for beakers for cooking purposes was also observed at Mienakker and to a lesser extent at Keinsmerbrug. Beakers are however generally regarded as drinking cups. Several authors have even explained the presence of beakers in graves and the spread of the (Bell) Beaker Culture in terms of alcohol consumption.
Although a link with alcohol remains a possibility, this study does show that these beakers are also favoured as cooking vessels.
In addition to cooking, the presence of a substantial ceramic assemblage, comprising medium and large vessels (some used for storage) and ceramic artefacts like spindle whorls indicates that a variety of activities were performed, suggesting that the site was used as a settlement rather than as a special activity site.
This study has proved that the Zeewijk site can be subdivided into three areas with different ceramic assemblages. The majority of these observed differences are a reflection of different periods of occupation.

This thesis explores the nature of late prehistoric society in the Peak District National Park by the compositional analysis of 237 ceramic fragments, recovered from 23 archaeological sites. For the Early-Middle Bronze Age, a range of funerary vessels was sampled from 16 sites spread across the two main landscape zones of the study area. Pottery from the lowlands of the White Peak demonstrated a range of paste recipes which mostly reflected the geology of the local area. In contrast, sherds from sites on the higher land of the Gritstone Uplands contained non-plastic inclusions sourced entirely from the White Peak, indicating close links between the two regions. Variation demonstrated in the base clays and temper indicated a non-centralised mode of production was being practiced.

This paper is primarily for readers that have read:
Depicted_Sign_Language_An_Ancient_System_of_Communication and several papers related to the depicted signs of the various ancient cultures. The signs interpreted in this paper are generalized and not presented in detail for purposes of brevity. Some of the cultures used were Gobekli Tepe, Niger, Moche, Mimbres, Aztec, Maya, Ancient South Africa, and Nazca

A minimum of sixty-nine  clay miniatures and models were recorded at prehistoric Sitagroi. The assemblage consists of  the following items: axeheads, miniatures of furniture and vessels, models of a house and an oven, and the so-called “dimple bases”, clay slabs with one surface indented. The latter are included as possibly connected to the house model, because their indented  surface is similar to the underside of  the house’s base. The great majority was recovered from Neolithic layers or can be attributed to the Neolithic on formal and stylistic grounds.

3D photogrammetry is the process of creating a manipulatable 3D model using only photos from a digital camera that are then processed through computer software to extract 3D data and create a wireframe and mesh. With the right technology and program access, this process can be as accurate as being able to measure a hairline fracture along the surface of prehistoric pottery with .1mm accuracy. To further analyze the benefits of such methods, a study was conducted using ceramic artifacts of the La Crosse locality that have been curated at the Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center, with the data compiled into a virtual database.

Oneota is the name assigned to prehistoric Native American sites within Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota that date to approximately A.D. 1150- early 1600s. These sites share many characteristics of, in particular their ceramics. Archaeologists have created typologies for Oneota ceramics that are thought to reflect regional variabilities and changes in Oneota culture through time. One such regional settlement is known as the La Crosse locality and includes sites in western Wisconsin. Distinctive characteristics of Oneota ceramics are the motifs created by trailing along the surface of the still moist clay, a subtractive process that alters the morphological properties of the vessel without jeopardizing its function. The pot shape and contours can be recorded by taking photographs at multiple angles to be processed on a computer to create a digital replica that can be studied by anyone with internet access, data no longer restricted to a site whose physical artifacts are exclusively stored within the curation facility.

With proper technologies, these replicas can be further analyzed to extract multiple cross-sections from different areas of a vessel and used to reconstruct the complete vessel’s original form. 3D models can be printed and used as aids for teaching and studying different aspects of archaeological assemblages, and they can also help students to understand the various typologies currently in use for ceramics from a particular time period or place.

This paper examines the decorated ceramics of the first four phases of the First period of the stratigraphy of the site known as Los Castillejos (Montefrio, Granada), ie, of the phases dated in Advanced Old Neolithic (5400‑5150 cal B.C.). The work began because of the interest in analyzing the ceramics of this stage that proceeded from the excavations carried out between 1991 and 1994 and that have remained unpublished to date. The ultimate goal involves the identification of the different ceramic elaboration techno-logies through the analysis of XRD and binocular microscope, and its possible developments verifying the existence of three techno‑factories

Ifpo is organizing a series of thematic workshops for 2019 on « Ceramic Studies in Lebanon », aimed at creating a scientific dynamic around archaeological projects involving a ceramic dimension. The objective is to bring together researchers working on material culture, and more particularly on ceramic assemblages in Lebanon, by tracing thematic paths that will make it possible to tackle, on the one hand, the typological and chronological analysis of finds from archaeological context, but also to create a debate on the state of the art and research perspectives. The first of these workshops focuses on the Beqaa Valley, « Ceramic Studies in the Beqaa Valley: A Regional Perspective ». It brings together experts working on ceramic materials from different periods. The ceramic assemblages will be placed in their regional context but also treated in relation to extra-regional connections. Moreover, this workshop aims at encouraging the scientific debate on future perspectives of ceramic studies in this region of Lebanon and to reveal strong and weak points of research potential.

The General Form of a Jaguar standing and in the position of seizing its prey. Some of the Imagery that composes this composition is a bit vague causing the translation of some of the animal spirit essences to be questionable.  However, the overall theme is quite clear as it relates to the nocturnal Sun having arisen from the watery underworld and preparing to catch more prey (presumably water spirits).

Appliqué is a decorative pottery technique found at many Fremont sites, but appliquéd sherds or vessels are rarely recovered in large numbers. Excavations at Wolf Village have produced 439 sherds with ceramic appliqué, by far the largest assemblage of this style from a single Fremont site. This article discusses the variation found within
the style and proposes a typology of appliqué styles based on the way the appliqué attaches to the vessel body. Appliqué is found on jars and figurines and was used more for its aesthetic value than utilitarian purposes. This visually distinctive technique set these vessels apart, although it is unclear what that might have meant to the prehistoric inhabitants of Wolf Village.

Ceramics typologies have long been used to build artifact, site, and regional chronologies. Direct accelerator mass spec-trometry (AMS) l4 C dating of shell-tempered ceramics offers a promising tool for updating and improving these chronologies. Few studies have l4 C dated shell fragments from shell-tempered pottery, however, and questions remain about potential biases from "old shell," the reservoir effect, and other variables. Forty-five direct AMS ,4 C assays on shell-tempered pottery and associated shell, charcoal, and bone from nine archaeological sites in Virginia and Maryland provide a framework to test this method. AMS ,4 C assays from one site may have problems with old shell, but most of the calibrated direct and associated age estimates overlap. One of our samples is the oldest securely dated shell-tempered pottery in North Amer-ica at ~1000 cat B.C. Our study demonstrates the promise of AMS l4 C dating shell-tempered pottery for refining ceramic and regional chronologies in coastal and other areas around the world. Las tipologias de la cerdmica han sido utilizadas para establecer cronologias sobre artefactos, sitios y regiones. El uso de la espectrometria de acelerador directo ,4 C (AMS) para la datacion de cerdmica con desgrasante de concha puede ser una herra-mienta que promete avances en la actualizacion y mejoramiento de dichas cronologias. Sin embargo, ha habido pocos estu-dios en los cudles se establece la datacion de fragmentos de cerdmica con desgrasante de concha por medio del l4 C porque permanecen las dudas sobre la alteracion de datos a causa del efecto de "conchas antiguas," el efecto de reserva, y otros pro-blemas relacionados con la datacion exacta del carbono 14. Aqui se presentan los resultados de cuarenta y cinco fechas obte-nidas por medio de la aplicacion del AMS l4 C en cerdmica de desgrasante de concha y otras conchas similares asi como de carbon y hueso procedentes de nueve zonas arqueologicas en Virginia y Maryland para poner a prueba el metodo en cues-tidn. Las fechas AMS ,4 C nos indica que, mientras que un sitio puede exhibir problemas del efecto de "concha vieja," la mayo-ri'a de las fechas calibradas directamente y las fechas asociadas coinciden. Una de nuestras muestras representa la muestra mas antigua de cerdmica de desgrasante de concha con fechas seguras en Norte America, cuyafecha data de ~1000 cat a.C. Nuestro estudio demuestra el potencial en la aplicacion del metodo AMS ,4 C para datar cerdmica de desgrasante de concha para refinar las cronologias de la cerdmica al nivel regional en las zonas costeras como en otras partes del mundo.