Exploring the Broad Spectrum: Vegetal Inclusions in Early Neolithic Eastern Balkan Pottery

Why was “chaff temper” used in pottery production? The possible reasoning behind the practice of intentionally adding organic matter (various plant parts and plant-containing materials) to the clay paste when making pottery is explored by studying four Early Neolithic open settlements. Located in co...

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Autor principal:	Dzhanfezova Tanya
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	De Gruyter 2021
Materias:	vegetal inclusions organic temper early neolithic pottery production eastern balkans Archaeology CC1-960
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/8b8b78058e854dff8651689fa7c0277e
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id	oai:doaj.org-article:8b8b78058e854dff8651689fa7c0277e
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:8b8b78058e854dff8651689fa7c0277e2021-12-05T14:11:00ZExploring the Broad Spectrum: Vegetal Inclusions in Early Neolithic Eastern Balkan Pottery2300-656010.1515/opar-2020-0200https://doaj.org/article/8b8b78058e854dff8651689fa7c0277e2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2020-0200https://doaj.org/toc/2300-6560Why was “chaff temper” used in pottery production? The possible reasoning behind the practice of intentionally adding organic matter (various plant parts and plant-containing materials) to the clay paste when making pottery is explored by studying four Early Neolithic open settlements. Located in contrasting regions, northwest and southwest Bulgaria, they have contrasting geological settings, altitude, climate, and “pottery styles.” Ceramic fragments containing vegetal remains (charred, semi-charred parts, imprints, and phytoliths) found both on the surface of the vessels and within the body clay are studied in hand specimens, thin-sections and by using scanning electron microscopy. Whether the addition of “organic temper” was an actual functional prerequisite (e.g. caused by technological limitations of the local clays, the vessels’ use, etc.), and how to interpret the variable contents and types of vegetal remains within the clay fabrics, are the main questions discussed within a broader context. The observed variability raises awareness of a series of potential biases when interpreting vegetal remains in Early Neolithic Southeast European pottery. This study not only tackles the interrelation between two major Early Neolithic cycles – ceramic technology and agriculture – but also reveals the potential to examine the synergies between specifically technological, agricultural, and environmental study aspects. It demonstrates the intrinsically intertwined crafts and husbandry activities, technological landscapes, decision-making strategies, and subsistence patterns, all within site-specific environment. It also frames a debate on such inclusions’ strictly technological significance, their role as a cultural factor embodied in social behaviour, or completely accidental presence in the clay fabrics, and a whole spectrum in between.Dzhanfezova TanyaDe Gruyterarticlevegetal inclusionsorganic temperearly neolithicpottery productioneastern balkansArchaeologyCC1-960ENOpen Archaeology, Vol 7, Iss 1, Pp 1138-1159 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	vegetal inclusions organic temper early neolithic pottery production eastern balkans Archaeology CC1-960
spellingShingle	vegetal inclusions organic temper early neolithic pottery production eastern balkans Archaeology CC1-960 Dzhanfezova Tanya Exploring the Broad Spectrum: Vegetal Inclusions in Early Neolithic Eastern Balkan Pottery
description	Why was “chaff temper” used in pottery production? The possible reasoning behind the practice of intentionally adding organic matter (various plant parts and plant-containing materials) to the clay paste when making pottery is explored by studying four Early Neolithic open settlements. Located in contrasting regions, northwest and southwest Bulgaria, they have contrasting geological settings, altitude, climate, and “pottery styles.” Ceramic fragments containing vegetal remains (charred, semi-charred parts, imprints, and phytoliths) found both on the surface of the vessels and within the body clay are studied in hand specimens, thin-sections and by using scanning electron microscopy. Whether the addition of “organic temper” was an actual functional prerequisite (e.g. caused by technological limitations of the local clays, the vessels’ use, etc.), and how to interpret the variable contents and types of vegetal remains within the clay fabrics, are the main questions discussed within a broader context. The observed variability raises awareness of a series of potential biases when interpreting vegetal remains in Early Neolithic Southeast European pottery. This study not only tackles the interrelation between two major Early Neolithic cycles – ceramic technology and agriculture – but also reveals the potential to examine the synergies between specifically technological, agricultural, and environmental study aspects. It demonstrates the intrinsically intertwined crafts and husbandry activities, technological landscapes, decision-making strategies, and subsistence patterns, all within site-specific environment. It also frames a debate on such inclusions’ strictly technological significance, their role as a cultural factor embodied in social behaviour, or completely accidental presence in the clay fabrics, and a whole spectrum in between.
format	article
author	Dzhanfezova Tanya
author_facet	Dzhanfezova Tanya
author_sort	Dzhanfezova Tanya
title	Exploring the Broad Spectrum: Vegetal Inclusions in Early Neolithic Eastern Balkan Pottery
title_short	Exploring the Broad Spectrum: Vegetal Inclusions in Early Neolithic Eastern Balkan Pottery
title_full	Exploring the Broad Spectrum: Vegetal Inclusions in Early Neolithic Eastern Balkan Pottery
title_fullStr	Exploring the Broad Spectrum: Vegetal Inclusions in Early Neolithic Eastern Balkan Pottery
title_full_unstemmed	Exploring the Broad Spectrum: Vegetal Inclusions in Early Neolithic Eastern Balkan Pottery
title_sort	exploring the broad spectrum: vegetal inclusions in early neolithic eastern balkan pottery
publisher	De Gruyter
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/8b8b78058e854dff8651689fa7c0277e
work_keys_str_mv	AT dzhanfezovatanya exploringthebroadspectrumvegetalinclusionsinearlyneolithiceasternbalkanpottery
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Exploring the Broad Spectrum: Vegetal Inclusions in Early Neolithic Eastern Balkan Pottery

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