A Primary Study of Ceramic Technology at the Shimao Site

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Technology and Design in 4th and 3rd Millennium BCE China" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The Shimao site was a significant stone-walled settlement in Northern China dating to around 2000 BCE. In recent excavations, vast amounts of pottery sherds were unearthed from Huangchengtai, the stone-walled platform which was encircled by both the interior and exterior stone walls. Around 200 pottery sherds were examined by naked eye or hand magnifier, meanwhile samples were analyzed with petrography and X-radiography. We found that some pots were made by coiling or molding, but throwing was also a critical primary forming technique of certain shapes. Pots thrown on the wheel were usually trimmed on the wheel as well, while paddling was also a significant secondary forming technique for pots made by coiling. The dark gray color of most sherds suggested that they were cooled in a reducing atmosphere. The smudging technique was employed when a metallic black color was desired.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Technology and Design in 4th and 3rd Millennium BCE China   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 25066