Pottery Production and Social Complexity: Ceramic Paste Analysis at the Site of El Campanario, Huarmey Valley, Peru

Summary

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

The analysis of ceramic pastes can be used to study exchange networks, social identities, and technologies. The variations in the composition of ceramic pastes are related to the selection of clay, and non-plastic materials from ancient ceramists. The choice of these procurement areas is often influenced by technological traditions, social complexities, vessels’ functions, and ceramists’ preferences. The excavation conducted at an adobe platform at the site of El Campanario allowed the recovery of various types of materials including pottery sherds. This platform was probably used for public events, in which ceramic vessels were an important component of social interactions. The presence of both polychrome and Casma style ceramics indicates that various styles of pottery were used during public activities on the adobe platform. The analysis of ceramics paste was conducted using a digital microscope to observe the paste of both types of pottery to identify variations in paste composition. This analysis will provide insights into the context in which ceramic vessels were produced at the site of El Campanario.

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): 23152