Orton C., Tyers P., Vince A. Pottery in archaeology

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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

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

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

Setting up base

Collection policy and practice

Initial processing

Equipment ^

Retrieval procedures

Cleaning and drying

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

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

Contents

Assessment of measures

Practicalities

Are the assemblages really different?

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