An Experimental Study of Arctic Ceramic Cooking Vessel Performance

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Ceramic vessels from the Norton (2800–1500 BP) and Thule (1350–250 BP) traditions often differ in wall thickness and the proportion and type of temper, suggesting they may have performed differently for cooking. This experimental study explores how technological choices (wall thickness, temper, and surface treatments) affected physical characteristics including porosity, strength, and heating capabilities, and how people in the Arctic may have cooked with ceramic vessels from these two traditions. Phase 1 tested physical characteristics (porosity, hardness, and tensile strength) of ceramic tiles manufactured with different combinations of temper and surface treatments (oiled or not oiled). For Phase 2, water was brought to a boil in replica Norton and Thule vessels using three different heating methods (direct heating, stone boiling, and suspension). Phase 1 identified differences in strength and porosity of test tiles with specific temper and surface treatments. Phase 2 showed significant differences in the rate of heating using different heating methods, but not between the two types of replica vessels. Results of this study suggest that distinctive characteristics of Norton and Thule pottery may not be related to methods of heating, but could relate to other factors, potentially including constraints affecting ceramic production and economic or social factors.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37067.0