Materiality, Techniques and Society in Pottery Production: The Technological Study of Archaeological Ceramics through Paste Analysis

Daniel Albero Santacreu

Open Access Published by De Gruyter Open Poland 2014

Materiality, Techniques and Society in Pottery Production

The Technological Study of Archaeological Ceramics through Paste Analysis

Daniel Albero Santacreu

https://doi.org/10.2478/9783110410204

Overview
Contents

About this book

Daniel Albero Santacreu presents a wide overview of certain aspects of the pottery analysis and summarizes most of the methodological and theoretical information currently applied in archaeology in order to develop wide and deep analysis of ceramic pastes. The book provides an adequate framework for understanding the way pottery production is organised and clarifies the meaning and role of the pottery in archaeological and traditional societies.

The goal of this book is to encourage reflection, especially by those researchers who face the analysis of ceramics for the first time, by providing a background for the generation of their own research and to formulate their own questions depending on their concerns and interests. The three-part structure of the book allows readers to move easily from the analysis of the reality and ceramic material culture to the world of the ideas and theories and to develop a dialogue between data and their interpretation.

Daniel Albero Santacreu is a Lecturer Assistant in the University of the Balearic Islands, member of the Research Group Arqueo UIB and the Ceramic Petrology Group. He has carried out the analysis of ceramics from several prehistoric societies placed in the Western Mediterranean, as well as the study of handmade pottery from contemporary ethnic groups in Northeast Ghana.

Archaeology, Ceramic studies, Archaeometry

Author information

Daniel Albero Santacreu, University of the Balearic Islands, Spain

Reviews

"[...] this book is distinctive in its synthetic treatment of pottery technology and efforts to integrate technological and theoretical approaches to our understanding of the ancient potters’ craft."
Ann E. Killebrew in: Journal of Eastern and Mediterranean Archaeology 7.1 (2019), 139-147

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	I
Preface Publicly Available Download PDF	VI
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	IX
Part I: Materiality, Archaeometry & Analythical Methods
1 Introduction: Ceramic Archaeometry and Paste Analysis Publicly Available Download PDF	2
2 Sampling Strategies Publicly Available Download PDF	5
3 Analytical Methods Publicly Available Download PDF	11
4 Analytical Data and the Life Cycle of Ceramics Publicly Available Download PDF	45
Part II: Materials, Techniques & Chaînes Opératoires Publicly Available Download PDF	49
5 Techniques, Chaîne Opératoire and Technology Publicly Available Download PDF	52
6 Clay Selection and Procurement Publicly Available Download PDF	60
7 Clay Extraction Publicly Available Download PDF	65
8 Paste Preparation Publicly Available Download PDF	67
9 Forming Methods Publicly Available Download PDF	77
10 Drying Process Publicly Available Download PDF	80
11 Surface Treatments Publicly Available Download PDF	82
12 Firing Process Publicly Available Download PDF	87
13 Raw Materials, Techniques and Sequences: Fabrics Publicly Available Download PDF	109
14 The Role of Ethnoarchaeology and Experimental Archaeology in the Study of Ceramics Publicly Available Download PDF	112
Part III: The Social Context: Ceramic Technology, Archaeometry & Theoretical Trends
15 Analytical Levels and Scopes in Ceramic Archaeometry Publicly Available Download PDF	124
16 Ceramic Technology and Theoretical Perspectives Publicly Available Download PDF	127
17 Ceramic Ecology Publicly Available Download PDF	129
18 Functionalist Approach Publicly Available Download PDF	146
19 Social Theory of Technology Publicly Available Download PDF	194
20 The Organisation of Pottery Production Publicly Available Download PDF	245
21 Change and Stability in Pottery Production Publicly Available Download PDF	262
Final Reflections Publicly Available Download PDF	279
References Publicly Available Download PDF	282
List of Figures Publicly Available Download PDF	314
Index Publicly Available Download PDF	317

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter Open Poland
Audience: Archaeologists, culture anthropologists
Pages
- Main content: 336
Illustrations
- Illustrations: 37
Keywords: archaeological ceramic; pottery analysis; pottery production; pottery making; ceramic studies; ceramic raw material; ceramic paste analysis; ceramic technology; archaeometry; ethnoarchaeometry; social theory of technology

eBook

Published: December 2, 2014
ISBN: 9783110410204

Hardcover

Published: December 1, 2014
ISBN: 9783110410198