At the interface of makers, matter, and material culture : techniques and society in the ceramics of the southern British Later Iron Age
Changing pottery production methods are one of numerous significant developments in the archaeological record of Later Iron Age southern Britain. Previous studies of ceramic technology in this period (e.g. Rigby & Freestone 1997; Hill 2002) suffered from a lack of empirical data with which to characterise technological change, and only sparingly engaged with material culture theory. Our understanding of the social significance of changing technology has therefore remained largely obscured. Clay is a plastic medium upon which numerous traces of technological practices leave their mark. These practices yield valuable information pertaining to how people interacted with the material world in socially-constructed ways, and how this changed during periods of upheaval. On this basis, this study provides the first attempt to empirically characterise the nature of ceramic technological change in two studyregions: Berkshire and northern Hampshire; and Hertfordshire. Petrographic and SEM analyses were used to characterise technological properties of Middle and Late Iron Age ceramic fabrics from the two regions; and radiographic analysis of 428 vessels revealed details of forming methods employed. Elements of continuity
Sutton, Adam David
At the interface of makers, matter, and material culture : techniques and society in the ceramics of the southern British Later Iron Age. Changing pottery production methods are one of numerous significant developments in the archaeological record of Later Iron Age southern Britain. Previous studies of ceramic technology in this period (e.g. Rigby & Freestone 1997; Hill 2002) suffered from a lack of empirical data with which to characterise technological change, and only sparingly engaged with material culture theory. Our understanding of the social significance of changing technology has therefore remained largely obscured. Clay is a plastic medium upon which numerous traces of technological practices leave their mark. These practices yield valuable information pertaining to how people interacted with the material world in socially-constructed ways, and how this changed during periods of upheaval. On this basis, this study provides the first attempt to empirically characterise the nature of ceramic technological change in two studyregions: Berkshire and northern Hampshire; and Hertfordshire. Petrographic and SEM analyses were used to characterise technological properties of Middle and Late Iron Age ceramic fabrics from the two regions; and radiographic analysis of 428 vessels revealed details of forming methods employed. Elements of continuity
interface maker matter material_culture technique society ceramic southern british later iron_age changing pottery_production method numerous significant development archaeological_record southern_britain previous_study ceramic_technology period hill suffer lack empirical_data characterise technological_change engage material_culture theory social_significance change technology therefore remain_largely obscure clay plastic medium upon numerous trace technological_practice leave mark practice yield valuable information pertain people_interact material world socially constructed way change period upheaval basis study provide_first attempt empirically characterise nature ceramic technological_change berkshire northern hampshire hertfordshire petrographic sem analysis use characterise technological property middle late_iron_age ceramic_fabric two_region analysis vessel reveal detail form method_employ elements continuity