Ceramics in archaeology.
Since the manager is on a mission again, and it's not like it was sudden, the boss warned against such a possibility. So we continue again in the professional section.
This time, according to the title, it is about ceramics, otherwise this word is used a lot in the posts in the section, and its importance is not explained.
So, let me explain, ceramics in archeology means pottery, both whole (extremely rare) and in fragments. Well, what is the importance of these very broken pots, the reader will say?
The importance is that this is a very serious marker. A marker of what? All in all, or rather material culture, and archeology studies its birthplace. Historically, pottery differed in production technology (cast, round), firing method (fire kiln), shapes, composition of the dough (well, that is, clay and its additives), coating (lacquered or not), patterns and methods of application. I haven't listed all the features yet.
That is, a banal broken pot can tell us a lot about the level of development of the productive forces. Is the pottery made on a potter's wheel? This means that, in fact, in addition to the knowledge of this very circle, in this culture a craft has already emerged as a profession (for modeling dishes for the family, it is unlikely to use the circle, it is expensive and requires specific skills). It's the same with the furnace.
The level of skill of the craftsman is evidenced by the integrity of the forms and the thickness of the walls, and the skill is also the presence of a stable tradition. Again, the form is dictated by the content, that is, by the purpose for which this dish is prepared. Well, decorations already speak directly about the level of cultural development among the population.
Most importantly, mass-produced ceramics are always local. For long distances, for sale, carry shiny pots, excuse me, they are heavy and fragile. With the exception of tools for luxury consumption, tools are specially designed for affluent people.