Pottery (Archaeology)

Mark L. Lawall, John Lund (ed.), Pottery in the Archaeological Record: Greece and Beyond. Acts of the international colloquium held at the Danish and Canadian Institutes in Athens, June 20-22, 2008. Gösta Enbom monographs, 1. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, 2011.

by Antonis Kotsonas

La ceramica dal sondaggio di Shu-Anna a Babilonia

by Alessandra Cellerino

2004 -  Mesopotamia, XXXIX, 93-168.

Early prehistoric sedentism and seasonal animal exploitation in the Caribbean lowlands of Colombia

by Augusto Oyuela-Caycedo

Peter W. Stahl, Augusto Oyuela-Caycedo. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Volume 26, Issue 3, September 2007, Pages 329-349

San Jacinto 1 represents a special-purpose settlement that was used by late Archaic foraging groups who logistically... more San Jacinto 1 represents a special-purpose settlement that was used by late Archaic foraging groups who logistically moved from base camps to special-purpose camps in order to collect and process subsistence resources at the onset of the dry season in the Caribbean savannas of northern Colombia. Situated in an optimal location for permanent water and seasonal concentrations of dry season subsistence items, the site’s location was part of a logistic strategy in which specific task groups were moved to resources during a short season of availability. Preserved vertebrate and invertebrate faunas at San Jacinto conform to expectations about assemblage ubiquity, richness, and evenness or equitability within the early occupational strata at the site. Specific animals including turtles and fish were pursued, and may have been processed with C3 plants and grasses in ubiquitous earth ovens. Certain local aquatic invertebrates were also procured along with the collection of specific extra-local gastropods.

Review of: Verdan, Samuel -Theurillat, Thierry - Kenzelmann Pfyffer, Anne (ed.): Early Iron Age Pottery: A Quantitative Approach. Proceedings of the International Round Table organized by the Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece (Athens 2008)

by Lieve Donnellan

Intercambio De Mercado Y Consolidación En El Corazón Del Imperio Azteca

by Christopher Garraty

Garraty, Christopher P. (2007)

(English abstract) One important way that empires consolidate power is to undercut the traditional revenue bases of... more (English abstract) One important way that empires consolidate power is to undercut the traditional revenue bases of subject elites and redirect resource flows from subject areas to the imperial capitals. To this end, Aztec imperial rulers implemented a strategy to appropriate marketplace revenues from subject elites in the imperial heartland in the Basin of Mexico. Recent chemistry-based provenance studies of undecorated Aztec plainware and Black-on- orange vessels suggest that pottery made in the Tenochtitlan area penetrated market domains of neighboring polities, including their Acolhua allies in Texcoco. The imperial rulers in Tenochtitlan likely invested in marketplace development to stimulate commercial craft production and export, thus boosting government revenues from market taxation.

The Politics of Commerce: Aztec Pottery Production and Exchange In the Basin of Mexico, AD 1200--1650

by Christopher Garraty

2006 The Politics of Commerce: Aztec Pottery Production and Exchange in the Basin of Mexico, A.D. 1200-1650. Ph.D. Dissertation, Arizona State University, Tempe. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms.

The relationships between market and political institutions have varied in different times and places, but no market... more The relationships between market and political institutions have varied in different times and places, but no market system was (or is) devoid of political involvement. The contrasting approaches of the Aztec empire and Spanish colonial regime to the Basin of Mexico market system are instructive about the ways that commercial agents (producers, traders) respond to “top-down” pressures from state elites to steer and direct the commercial economy to their political advantage. The results of this study suggest that the market system in the Basin flourished under the Aztec empire but suffered a decline after the Spanish conquest. To establish a window on state-market relationships, I focus on pottery production and exchange (plainware and decorated wares) prior to and during the period of Aztec imperial rule (ca. A.D. 1200-1520) and subsequent colonial period (ca. A.D. 1520-1650) based on compositional analyses and analyses of form specialization and attribute standardization. In the fragmented political landscape that preceded the Aztec empire, most plainware producers manufactured on a relatively small scale and exchanged their wares locally through a system of small, non-hierarchical market networks that likely operated independently of elite regulation. Conversely, decorated Black-on-orange and redware serving vessels were manufactured on a larger scale in fewer production loci and exchanged over a wider area, indicating a hierarchical exchange system that operated under elite auspices. During the Aztec empire, the consolidation of power under the imperial capitals of Tenochtitlan and Texcoco brought about a more stable milieu for inter-polity interaction. In this context, plainware and Black-on-orange production both involved large-scale, high-intensity production industries centered at or near four principal market centers in the Basin, including the imperial capitals. Tenochtitlan became by far the most prominent and prolific locus of pottery production and export, especially for Black-on-orange vessels and comales (tortilla griddles). After the Spanish conquest, the large-scale pottery production and export industries evident in the Late Aztec period collapsed. Production was generally less intensive, smaller in scale, and probably mostly geared toward local consumers. Tenochtitlan—now Mexico City—was no longer the principal hub of indigenous commerce and became increasingly geared toward the Spanish overseas economy.

Imperial and Social Relations In Postclassic South-Central Veracruz, Mexico

by Christopher Garraty

Garraty, Christopher P., and Barbara L. Stark (2002)

We explore social and imperial relations in the western lower Papaloapan Basin, especially along the lower Blanco... more We explore social and imperial relations in the western lower Papaloapan Basin, especially along the lower Blanco River, using statistical analyses of ceramic rims from recent surveys. This region is sandwiched between two known tributary provincial centers of the Aztec empire, but its relationship to the empire is uncertain in colonial documentary materials. Our analyses illuminate changes in social relations from the Middle (A.D. 1150-1350) to Late Postclassic (A.D. 1350-1520) periods and shed light on the impact of Aztec imperialism. We use a ceramic unmixing procedure to assign collections to the Middle and Late Postclassic periods for assessment of settlement patterns. Next we use cluster analyses to examine vertical wealth and status differentiation. In the Middle Postclassic period, we observe a concentric gradation of wealth and status away from the small center of El Sauce. Late Postclassic changes include the decline of El Sauce and the founding of a new center at Callejo'n del Horno. The concentric model does not apply to the Late Postclassic period, however, and wealth and status became more highly concentrated at Callejon del Horno compared to its hinterland. We also investigate sparse collections-those with few Postclassic rims-to evaluate whether these collections represent poor residences or, rather, sherd scatter from possible field manuring. The lowerBlanco region was likely integrated into the Aztec empire on the basis of changes in vertical social differentiation from Middle to Late Postclassic times and percentages of Aztec-style ceramics compared to known Aztec provincial centers, especially Cotaxtla.

Ceramic Indices of Aztec Eliteness

by Christopher Garraty

Garraty, Christopher P. (2000)

This article explores the complex, multidimensional nature of Aztec social organization and, specifically, the concept... more This article explores the complex, multidimensional nature of Aztec social organization and, specifically, the concept of “eliteness,” as it applies to the Aztecs. I discuss both why we can speak of Aztec “elites” and how we can monitor them using ceramic data. I argue it is possible to distinguish elites archaeologically by identifying the ceramic attributes and variables that best reflect feasting behavior, one of the primary practices the Aztecs used to socially construct and reproduce unequal relations of power, wealth, and estate. Ceramics thus served as one of the primary media through which politically and socially charged “communication” occurred among the Aztecs. I define and evaluate six ceramic indices of eliteness using Late Aztec ceramic data (ca. a.d. 1350–1520) from Teotihuacan, an Aztec period altepetl (city-state) located in the northeastern Basin of Mexico. I use the most effective eliteness indices to interpret the intrasite spatial patterning of elite residences at Late Aztec Teotihuacan and infer some observations about the social and political organization of the altepetl.

Evaluation of Systematic Surface Evidence for Pottery Production In Veracruz, Mexico

by Christopher Garraty

Stark, Barbara L., and Christopher P. Garraty (2004)

Survey-based analyses have used varied criteria to detect locations of pottery production in the Gulf lowlands of... more Survey-based analyses have used varied criteria to detect locations of pottery production in the Gulf lowlands of south-central and southern Veracruz, Mexico. A common practice uses double criteria: high frequencies or high densities of particular kinds of pottery in conjunction with highly reliable indicators, such as kiln fragments. Reliable indicators are relatively scarce, however and subject to sampling error Two previous analytical approaches each present problems with respect to threshold values for applying the density and frequency criteria, and a more standard set of procedures is suggested. An alternative criterion using spatial clustering helps reduce susceptibility to sampling error from infrequent finds such as deformed wasters or kiln fragments. In a case study, two newly detected locations of possible pottery production result from application of the alternative double criteria. With incorporation of these new data, changes in Gulf lowland pottery production over time are compatible with a growing role for specialization and marketing, especially from the Late Classic to the Late Postclassic periods. The examination and application of criteria for identifying possible locations of pottery production are important for harnessing the potential of systematic survey and surface collection for studies of economic change.

El conjunto cerámico del Neolítico Final de Pala da Vella (Rubiá, Ourense).

by Carlos Fernández-Rodríguez

L. Pérez & C. Fernández (2005). “El conjunto cerámico del Neolítico Final de Pala da Vella (Rubiá, Ourense)”. En P. Arias, R. Ontañón & C. García-Moncó (eds.). III Congreso del Neolítico en la Península Ibérica. Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Cantabria. Monografías del Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria, nº 1. pp. 327-335.

Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence and its Sensitivity to Thermally Induced Changes in Clay Bodies

by Field Notes: A Journal of Collegiate Anthropology

By Elissa Hulit

Published in Field Notes: A Journal of Collegiate Anthropology 4(1): 216-226. (May 2012) Copyright ©2012 by Field Notes: A Journal of Collegiate Anthropology

The use of portable X-Ray fluorescence spectrometry in the study of prehistoric ceramics has gained popularity... more The use of portable X-Ray fluorescence spectrometry in the study of prehistoric ceramics has gained popularity recently due to the many benefits of this technology. Portable Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluourescence (XRF) is non-destructive, relatively inexpensive, and capable of detecting a range of the elements that commonly distinguish clay bodies. It has been used successfully as a means of differentiating prehistoric pottery from different sources and has provided new insights into pottery manufacture and trade networks. However, when it comes to clay sourcing, the high degree of sensitivity in XRF analysis may present new challenges that must be considered before XRF can be used effectively. Natural clay deposits can be expected to vary in composition as the result of formation or deposition processes. During pottery production, humans introduce new sources of compositional variation at various stages of manufacture. While the compositional variation resulting from the subtraction of natural inclusions and from the addition of tempering materials and decorative slips or paints has received attention, no attempt has been made to determine if XRF alone has the capability to identify compositional variation resulting from different fire temperatures. This paper presents an attempt to identify such differences between a set of control samples. These vessels were made from the same stock clay, but vary in tempering materials and firing temperatures. A principal components analysis of the compositions suggests that chemical changes as a result of firing temperature can be detected by the XRF device. Clay sourcing studies using XRF technology should take this source of variation into account. Furthermore, the interaction between firing temperature and the temper material indicates that while knowledge of the pottery firing temperature may be needed, knowledge of how the tempering material reacts to firing atmosphere may also help refine clay sourcing methodology.

Dibujo arqueológico: reconstrucción en 3D de cerámica

by Francisco José López Fraile

El dibujo tradicional arqueológico puede ser mejorado gracias a las reconstrucciones de 3D. Esta metodología puede aplicarse a todo tipo de cerámica, aunque es en series cerámicas donde más potencial de optimización supone el trabajo.
Se presenta un ejemplo de loza de época franquista (del "Auxilio Social") documentada en unos sondeos en el patio del Palacio del Infante Don Luis de Boadilla del Monte.

La producción alfarera en epoca talayótica. Estudio petrográfico y paleotecnológico de los materiales de Son Ferragut (Sineu, Mallorca)", en Castro , P., Escoriza, T. y Sanahuja, Mª.E. (eds.), Mujeres y hombres en espacios domésticos: trabajo y vida social en la Prehistoria de Mallorca (c. 700-500 cal ANE) . British Archaeological Reports. International Series, 1162, Archeopress, Oxford, pp. 190-216

by Roberto Risch

El desarrollo de la alfarería prehistórica en Menorca: una primera aproximación", l'Arqueologia a Menorca: eina per al coneixement del passat , Consell insular de Menorca, pp.125-141

by Roberto Risch

A proposito di un frammento di ceramica attica figurata de Begastri

by Andrea Gennaro

in Antigüedad y cristianismo: Monografías históricas sobre la Antigüedad tardía, N 25, 2008

A preliminary catalogue of the stamped and inscribed finds from the 2011 season, Bylazora

by Candace Richards

published by Texas Foundation for Archaeological and Historical Research, May 2012. http://www.tfahr.org/BP_stamps2011.html

The excavations of 2011 at Bylazora have again yielded several stamped and inscribed finds related to the later... more The excavations of 2011 at Bylazora have again yielded several stamped and inscribed finds related to the later periods of occupation at the site, corresponding to the ancient Greek late Classical and early Hellenistic periods. Presented here is a continuation of the preliminary catalogue comprised of selected examples from this season. Each find is listed with a catalogue number (numerically following on from the 2010 catalogue), the appropriate basket and sector numbers, and its name or the type of fragment. This is followed by a short description of its form, fabric, all stamps or markings and, where relevant, a note regarding its significance. This catalogue is a preliminary presentation only and thus should be read as an introduction to the types of materials and the stamps or markings being developed, used or imported by this Paionian city.

Rhizon (Montenegrin Coast) - A Trading and Staple Town on the Crossroads of Mediterranean and Inland Balkan Routes. Late Classical and Hellenistic Pottery Evidence

by Dubravka Ujes Morgan

Quaderni ticinesi di numismatica e antichita' classiche 28 (Lugano, 1999), pp. 203-220.

Bernal, D., & Sáez Romero, A. M., (2008): “Fish-Salting Plants and Amphorae Production in the Bay of Cadiz (Baetica, Hispania). Patterns of Settlement from the Punic Era to Late Antiquity”, H. Vanhaverbeke et al. (Eds.) Thinking about Space. The potencial of surface survey and Contextual Archaeology in the definition of space in Roman Times. Universidad de Lovaina, Lovaina.

by Antonio Saez Romero

Sáez Romero, A. M., (2010): “Tradizione fenicia versus Romanizzazione. Le anfore di Gadir/Gades in epoca ellenistica e i suoi centri produttori”. Actas del XXVI Congreso de los Rei Cretariae Romanae Favtores (Cádiz, sep-oct 2008). Acta 41, Abingdon, pp. 509-522.

by Antonio Saez Romero

La suppellettile ceramica dell'anaktoron di Torre di Satriano. Un primo bilancio

by Gianclaudio Ferreri

Published in M. Osanna, V. Capozzoli (a cura di), Lo spazio del potere II. Nuove ricerche nell'area dell'anaktoron di Torre di Satriano (atti del terzo e quarto convegno di studi su Torre di Satriano, Tito, 16-17 ottobre 2009; 29-30 settembre 2010), Venosa 2012, pp. 61-86