Pottery Analysis, Second Edition

Pottery Analysis, Second Edition A Sourcebook

by Prudence M. Rice

University of Chicago Press, 2015
Cloth: 978-0-226-92320-8 | Paper: 978-0-226-92321-5 | Electronic: 978-0-226-92322-2
DOI: 10.7208/chicago/9780226923222.001.0001

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ABOUT THIS BOOKAUTHOR BIOGRAPHYREVIEWSTABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Just as a single pot starts with a lump of clay, the study of a piece’s history must start with an understanding of its raw materials. This principle is the foundation of Pottery Analysis, the acclaimed sourcebook that has become the indispensable guide for archaeologists and anthropologists worldwide. By grounding current research in the larger history of pottery and drawing together diverse approaches to the study of pottery, it offers a rich, comprehensive view of ceramic inquiry.

This new edition fully incorporates more than two decades of growth and diversification in the fields of archaeological and ethnographic study of pottery. It begins with a summary of the origins and history of pottery in different parts of the world, then examines the raw materials of pottery and their physical and chemical properties. It addresses ethnographic and ethnoarchaeological perspectives on pottery production; reviews the methods of studying pottery’s physical, mechanical, thermal, mineralogical, and chemical properties; and discusses how proper analysis of artifacts can reveal insights into their culture of origin. Intended for use in the classroom, the lab, and out in the field, this essential text offers an unparalleled basis for pottery research.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Prudence M. Rice is distinguished professor emerita in the Department of Anthropology at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

REVIEWS

“Although it is of special interest to archaeologists, Rice’s compendium is also directed toward a wider audience, including social, physical, and materials scientists. Her broad work provides both an introduction to the topic and an exceedingly valuable asset to the most advanced researcher. . . . Rice’s excellent volume is a true sourcebook and will serve as the standard for many years to come.”

— On the first edition, American Scientist

“This is the book that all of us interested in ceramic analysis wish we had written. Rice has written a well-organized and comprehensive review of the breadth of research being done in the field of ancient ceramic technology and vessel function, from design analysis to the latest advances in provenience studies in a framework where understanding the potter and the potter's socioeconomic milieu is the paramount objective.”

— On the first edition, Kiva

“A highly ambitious, well-organized, encyclopedic reference manual conceived on a broad scale and provides a holistic coverage not found in any other volumes.”

— On the first edition, Journal of Field Archaeology

“Rice has produced a magnificent synthesis that belongs on every archeologist's shelf. It is also an excellent textbook for students.”

— On the first edition, American Anthropologist

“As a reference work about contemporary ceramic research, it can only be described in superlatives. Rice summarizes nearly everything happening in the study of ceramics today. Scholars and students alike will find something in the book related to their interest. . . . An important book.”

— On the first edition, Antiquity

List of Figures

List of Tables

List of Boxes

Preface to the Second Edition

Preface to the First Edition

Note to Instructors

Part 1: Introduction

1.1. Pottery and Ceramics: Definitions and Products

1.2. The Earliest Pottery

1.3. Pottery and Ceramics in the Old World

1.4. Pottery and Ceramics in the “New” World

Part 2: The Raw Materials of Pottery Making: Perspectives from Chemistry, Geology, and Engineering

2.1. Earth Materials

2.2. Definitions of Clays

2.3. Functional Definitions

3.1. Water, Dipoles, and Ions

3.2. Plasticity

3.3. Ions and Organics

4.1. Coarse Inclusions

4.2. What Is Temper?

4.3. Distinguishing Naturally Present from Added Substances

5.1. Kinds of Water

5.2. Green Strength

5.3. Drying Defects and Causes

5.4. Preheating

6.1. Variables: Time, Temperature, and Atmosphere

6.2. Changes at Low Temperatures

6.3. Changes at High Temperatures

7. Glazes

7.1. Components and Kinds of Glazes

7.2. Colorants

7.3. Firing

Part 3: Behavior: Ethnographic Perspectives on Pottery Making

8.1. Obtaining and Preparing Resources

8.2. Forming: Techniques and Tools

8.3. Finishing: Techniques and Tools

8.4. Drying and Preheating

9. Surface Enhancement

9.1. Penetration or Displacement

9.2. Additions to the Surface

9.3. Glaze

10.1. Separated Fuel and Ware: Kiln Firing

10.2. Intermingled Fuel and Ware: Mixed Firing

10.3. Economic Realities: Costs and Losses

10.4. Final Considerations

11.1. Distribution: From Producer to Consumer

11.2. Consumers: Ceramic Censuses and Household Assemblages

Part 4: Methods and Measures: Analyzing Archaeological Pottery

12.1. Theories and Approaches

12.2. Formation Processes

13.1. Attributes

13.2. History of Americanist Pottery Classification

13.3. So, What Are Types?

13.4. Kinds of Classifications

13.5. Why Classify Pottery?

14.1. Historical Background

14.2. Methods

14.3. Research Design: Fieldwork and Field Sampling

14.4. Interpretation

15.1. Quantification

15.2. Sampling

16.1. Human Perception of Color

16.2. Sources of Pottery Color and Its Variability

16.3. Measuring Color

16.4. What Are Color Measurements Used For?

17. Mineral and Chemical Composition

17.1. Mineral Analysis

17.2. Chemical Analysis

18.1. Properties, Microstructure, and Stresses

18.2. Hardness and Strength

18.3. Permeability and Porosity

18.4. Cracks and Failure

18.5. Relations to Use

19.1. Thermal Properties

19.2. Thermal Stresses and Shock

19.3. Stress and Shock Resistance

19.4. Modifying Thermal Behavior

Part 5: Research Questions and Problems: Interpreting Archaeological Pottery

20.1. Physical Indicators

20.2. Provenience/Provenance

21.1. Mode, Scale, and Intensification

21.2. Specialization

22.1. Attribute Variability and Specialization

22.2. Commodities and Commodification

22.3. Final Observations

23.1. Physical Properties

23.2. Mineralogical and Chemical Analyses

23.3. Some Cautions

24.1. What Is Style?

24.3. Archaeological Approaches to Pottery Style

24.4. Style as Communication

24.5. Further Developments

25. Functions and Forms

25.1. Vessel Form, Technology, and Use

25.2. Indirect Evidence and Inferred Functions

25.3. Direct Evidence of Use

25.4. The Hegemony of the Cookpot

Part 6: Then and Now; Now and Then

26. The Humility of Things

26.1. The Humility of Pottery

26.2. From Today to Yesterday

26.3. From Today to Yesterday: Some Questions

26.4. Change and Conservatism

Glossary

Reference List

Index