Pottery in archaeology PDF
Preview Pottery in archaeology
CAMBRIDGE MANUALS IN ARCHAEOLOGY Pottery in archaeology CUVE ORTON, PAUL TYERS AND ALAN VINCE The study of pottery in archaeology has become increasingly important over the last century, providing the archaeologist with information on many aspects of the past, including chronology, trade and technology. In recent years, scientific developments and statistical techniques have contributed still further to the analysis of pottery. Pottery in archaeology covers information obtained from over fifty years practical experience in the field and the latest research. As well as detailing the routine, but essential, tasks of handling pottery, the book examines the most recent research into the quantitative study and comparison of ceramic assemblages. This will be essential reading for students, field archaeologists and for anyone interested in working with pottery. POTTERY IN ARCHAEOLOGY CAMBRIDGE MANUALS IN ARCHAEOLOGY Series editors Don Brothwell, University of London Graeme Barker, University of Leicester Dena Dincauze, University of Massachusetts, Amherst Ann Stahl, State University of New York, Binghamton Already published J. D. Richards and N. S. Ryan, Data processing in archaeology Simon Hillson, Teeth Alwyne Wheeler and Andrew K. G. Jones, Fishes Peter G. Dorrell, Photography in archaeology and conservation Lesley Adkins and Roy Adkins, Archaeological illustration Marie-Agnès Courty, Paul Goldberg and Richard MacPhail, Soils and micromorphology in archaeology Cambridge Manuals in Archaeology are reference handbooks designed for an international audience of professional archaeologists and archaeological scientists in universities, museums, research laboratories, field units, and the public service. Each book includes a survey of current archaeological practice alongside essential reference material on contemporary techniques and methodology. POTTERY IN ARCHAEOLOGY Clive Orton Institute of Archaeology University College London Paul Tyers Institute of Archaeology University College London Alan Vince City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Published by the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RP 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA 10 Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia © Cambridge University Press 1993 First published 1993 Reprinted 1994,1995,1997 Printed in Great Britain at the University Press, Cambridge A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress cataloguing in publication data Orton, Clive, 1944- Pottery in archaeology / Clive Orton, Paul Tyers, Alan Vince. p. cm. - (Cambridge manuals in archaeology) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0 521 25715 8 1. Pottery. 2. Archaeology - Methodology. I. Tyers, Paul. II. Vince, A. G. III. Title. IV. Series. CC79.5.P6078 1993 930.r028'5-dc20 92-25814 CIP ISBN 0 521 25715 8 hardback ISBN 0 521 44597 3 paperback Röm.-Germ. Zentralmussum Mainz CE CONTENTS List of figures page xi List of tables xiii Preface xiv Acknowledgements xvi PART I HISTORY AND POTENTIAL 1 1 HISTORY OF POTTERY STUDIES 3 Introduction 3 The art-historical phase 5 The typological phase 8 The contextual phase 13 Parallel themes - ethnography 15 Parallel themes - technology 17 Parallel themes - scientific methods 18 Parallel themes - quantification 21 2 THE POTENTIAL OF POTTERY AS 23 ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE Aims 23 The 'big three' - evidence for date, trade and function 23 or status Manufacture and technology 30 Sherds in the soil 32 The playground of ideas 33 Implications for practice 34 PART II PRACTICALITIES: A GUIDE TO POTTERY PROCESSING AND RECORDING 37 3 INTEGRATION WITH RESEARCH DESIGNS 39 viii Contents 4 LIFE IN THE POT SHED ^ Introduction 44 Setting up base 44 Collection policy and practice 46 Initial processing 48 Equipment ^ Retrieval procedures q 5 Cleaning and drying 51 Initial recording and processing ^ Initial viewing and spot-dating 54 Sorting 55 Physical reconstruction 55 Cataloguing 0 Computers in pottery research To keep or not to keep 5 FABRIC ANALYSIS g Introduction P Equipment 67 Firing characteristics 68 Inclusions 70! The matrix W Creating and using a fabric type-series 72 6 CLASSIFICATION OF FORM AND 76 DECORATION Introduction 76/ Uses of form data 76 Creating and using a form type-series Describing shapes W Vessels and sherds 80 7 ILLUSTRATION 87 Introduction 87 The purpose of illustrations 87 Drawing pottery 89 Photography 94 8 POTTERY ARCHIVES 9S Introduction 98 Uses of archives 98 Practical issues 99 Contents ix 9 PUBLICATION 105 Introduction 105 Purpose of report 105 Layout of report 106 Indexing and correlation 107 Minimum standards of publication 107 Microfiche and microtype, computer media 108 Pottery specialists do it on their own 108 Summary 109 PART III THEMES IN CERAMIC STUDIES 111 10 MAKING POTTERY 113 Raw materials for pottery manufacture 114 Clay preparation 117 Forming 117 Surface treatments 126 Drying 126 Firing 126 11 POTTERY FABRICS 132 Why look at fabrics? 132 Visual examination 135 Penological analysis 140 Compositional analysis 144 Comparison between techniques 149 12 FORM 152 Approaches to the classification of shape 152 The type-series approach 153 Formal classification systems 153 Measurement-based classification 155 Geometric shapes 158 The envelope system 158 Mathematical curves as descriptions of shape 159 Classification of manufacturing stages 163 13 QUANTIFICATION 166 Introduction 166 The sampling basis 167 Uses of comparisons of assemblages 168 X Contents Assessment of measures , JJ Practicalities Are the assemblages really different? , J How big should an assemblage be? ^ Case studies ^ Spin-offs Case study jW Discussion igj" 14 CHRONOLOGY ^ Introduction Pinning down dates X85?1 Bringing the evidence together Iggj Seriation Igg A case study 1,94 Summary 196 15 PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION 197 Information content of distribution 197 Distribution of artefact types $99 Sources of supply to a site 202 The identification of source from distribution 203 16 ASSEMBLAGES AND SITES 207 Pottery life-expectancy 201 Sherd-links 20$ Field survey data 212 Sherds after burial 214 The role of quantification 21| 17 POTTERY AND FUNCTION 217 Individual vessel function 217 Function, production and distribution 226 Symbolic meaning 2lf Conclusion: The future of pottery studies Appendix 231 Bibliography 243 Index 263
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