A fabric analysis of Late Cypriot Base Ring Ware : studies in ceramic technology, petrology, geochemistry and mineralogy
Base Ring Ware is one of the most distinctive and thereby important archaeological hallmarks of the Late Bronze Age in Cyprus. The technical ceramic standards achieved Â·inthis ware coupled with its wide. distribution provided a valuable opportunity to study the technological skills of the ancient Cypriot craftsmen as well as to assess the degree of sophistication of their knowledge, and ability to manipulate the local ceramic material resources. By means of standardised macroscopic studies of a large sherd sample of the ware, the range and patterns of production methods were established. These data were then subjected to s ta tis tical clus tering procedures to discover any chronologi'cal, geographical or technical production patterns for the ware. In addition, geochemical analyses were performed on a representative set of sherds to provide a basis for characterising the ware's general geological composition and to determine whether any local variations in the fabric could be identified. For purposes of material comparisons, forty clay samples of various mineralogical types were collected from Cyprus from deposits near the Late Cypriot sites represented by the Base Ring sherds. These clays were also subjected
Vaughan, Sarah J.
Cyprus; Bronze Age
A fabric analysis of Late Cypriot Base Ring Ware : studies in ceramic technology, petrology, geochemistry and mineralogy. Base Ring Ware is one of the most distinctive and thereby important archaeological hallmarks of the Late Bronze Age in Cyprus. The technical ceramic standards achieved Â·inthis ware coupled with its wide. distribution provided a valuable opportunity to study the technological skills of the ancient Cypriot craftsmen as well as to assess the degree of sophistication of their knowledge, and ability to manipulate the local ceramic material resources. By means of standardised macroscopic studies of a large sherd sample of the ware, the range and patterns of production methods were established. These data were then subjected to s ta tis tical clus tering procedures to discover any chronologi'cal, geographical or technical production patterns for the ware. In addition, geochemical analyses were performed on a representative set of sherds to provide a basis for characterising the ware's general geological composition and to determine whether any local variations in the fabric could be identified. For purposes of material comparisons, forty clay samples of various mineralogical types were collected from Cyprus from deposits near the Late Cypriot sites represented by the Base Ring sherds. These clays were also subjected
fabric analysis late_cypriot base ring ware study ceramic_technology geochemistry mineralogy base ring ware distinctive thereby important archaeological hallmark late_bronze_age cyprus technical_ceramic standard achieve ware couple wide distribution provide_valuable opportunity_study technological skill ancient cypriot craftsman well assess degree sophistication knowledge ability manipulate local_ceramic material resource mean standardise macroscopic study large sherd sample ware range pattern production method establish data subject procedure discover cal geographical technical production pattern ware addition geochemical_analysis perform representative set sherd provide_basis characterising ware general geological composition determine_whether local_variation fabric could_identify purpose material comparison forty clay sample various mineralogical type collect cyprus deposit near late_cypriot site represent base ring clay also subject