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The Missing Step of Pottery chaîne opératoire: Considering Post-firing Treatments on Ceramic Vessels Using Macro- and Microscopic Observation and Molecular Analysis

The Missing Step of Pottery chaîne opératoire: Considering Post-firing Treatments on Ceramic Vessels Using Macro- and Microscopic Observation and Molecular Analysis

Authors :
Léa Drieu
Martine Regert
Cédric Lepère
Culture et Environnements, Préhistoire, Antiquité, Moyen-Age (CEPAM)
Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS)
COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)
EVEHA (Etudes et valorisations archeologiques)
Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS)
COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015 - 2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015 - 2019) (COMUE UCA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)
Centre d'Études Préhistoire, Antiquité, Moyen-Age (CEPAM)
COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015 - 2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015 - 2019) (COMUE UCA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Source :
Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, Springer Verlag, 2020, 27 (2), pp.302-326. ⟨10.1007/s10816-019-09428-8⟩, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, Springer Verlag, 2019, ⟨10.1007/s10816-019-09428-8⟩
Publication Year :
2020
Publisher :
HAL CCSD, 2020.

Abstract

Post-firing treatments, produced by the interaction of an organic material with the hot surface of a ceramic, are frequently described in ethnographic literature, but have rarely been identified in archaeological ceramic assemblages. In order to address this question, this paper describes a methodology that combines macro- and microscopic observation and molecular analysis. The study of experimental ceramic vessels provided diagnostic tools to identify the type of substances, their liquid or solid state, and their mode of application and attested that the post-firing treatments do not completely waterproof the ceramics. The difficulty to observe macro- and microscopic evidence of post-firing treatments when pots are fired in reducing atmosphere suggests that these processes are probably underestimated in archaeological assemblages. Furthermore, the identification of molecular thermal transformation markers, such as ketones, calls into question their classical interpretation as markers for the cooking of fatty content. This pioneering work highlights the complexity of studying post-firing treatments, which leave small traces that are easily missed or misinterpreted. In order to address this issue, we propose a multi-analytical approach, which can serve as a basis for future studies to explore the full diversity of post-firing treatments mentioned in ethnoarchaeological literature.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
10725369 and 15737764
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, Springer Verlag, 2020, 27 (2), pp.302-326. ⟨10.1007/s10816-019-09428-8⟩, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, Springer Verlag, 2019, ⟨10.1007/s10816-019-09428-8⟩
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....cdb9feb5008e6de48f39d9f2b46bf458
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-019-09428-8⟩