Book section icon

Book section

Ceramic technology

Abstract:
Although the use of unfired clay and even the production of non-utilitarian ceramic artefacts by Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers has long been accepted, their role in the emergence and spread of ceramic vessel technology has, until recently, received little scholarly attention. Pottery was seen as a technology of sedentary agriculturalists, for which mobile hunters and gatherers would have had little use. This article reviews some of the archaeological evidence that has been used to support a reassessment of this traditional paradigm, showing that the agricultural connection can often be broken decisively and that themes of practicality and prestige, which characterize traditional discussions of the emergence of pottery, can be equally successful in exploring its origins as a hunter-gatherer technology.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

Actions

Access Document

Files:
Publisher copy:
10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199551224.013.008

Authors

More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
SSD
Department:
School of Archaeology
Sub department:
Archaeology Research Lab
Role:
Author

Contributors

Role:
Editor
Role:
Editor
Role:
Editor


Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Host title:
Oxford Handbook of the Archaeology and Anthropology of Hunter-Gatherers
Volume:
31
Series:
Oxford Handbooks
Publication date:
2014-07-01
DOI:
ISBN-10:
0199551227
ISBN-13:
9780199551224


Keywords:
Pubs id:
pubs:685950
UUID:
uuid:225ab0ef-ff00-4288-96c3-f9bff0f7e697
Local pid:
pubs:685950
Source identifiers:
685950
Deposit date:
2017-03-15
ARK identifier:

Terms of use


Views and Downloads






If you are the owner of this record, you can report an update to it here: Report update to this record

TO TOP