The Life History of Early Celtic Vessels: An Experimental Approach towards Exploring the Inferential Limits of Interpreting Pottery Function

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In the context of the BEFIM project ("Meanings and Functions of Mediterranean Imports in Early Central Europe") the life history of (drinking) vessels from the Early Celtic hillfort settlements of Heuneburg and Vix-Mont Lassoix was examined, studying the way of production and use. We set up an extensive experimental program of dozens of experiments to explore the way this pottery was made and used. The participation of an experienced potter allowed us to reproduce exact replicas of the archaeological vessels and investigate in detail the traces of production and the effect of temper, baking temperature and so forth on the development of production traces and use wear. Especially variations in temper strongly affected the characteristics of the use wear traces from the preparation of different products The effect of alcohol production, including fermentation, on the pottery surface was explored. We also tested the effect of different gestures of preparing and consuming food and drink, storage and handling. Last, we studied the effect of post-depositional processes on the traces of production and use. The traces we observed on the experimental vessels, using an integrated low and high power approach, formed the basis for our interpretation of the archaeological pottery.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 24204