The emergence of ceramics among hunter-gatherers in northern Eurasia : the Neolithic ceramics of the Upper Vitim Basin, northern Transbaikal, Siberia
The pivotal role of hunter-gatherers in the origins of ceramic technology has only recently been recognized. Chronological evidence, which allows the scale of this largely unacknowledged phenomenon to be visualized, is presented and discussed. The origins of pottery, the perceived constraints on production and plausible functional/symbolic roles for pottery are discussed in the context of emergent complexity within hunter-gatherer society. A case study in early ceramics from the Upper Vitim Basin, Northern Transbaikal, Siberia (which superficially conforms some of the simple expectations of the dominant explanatory models) is introduced alongside two, locally-specific and conflicting interpretations of ceramic use in the region which this study sets out to explore, test and extend. Macroscopic description and thin-section petrography, supplemented by a small range of targeted instrumental analyses (including a small, self-contained pilot study in residue analysis) were employed to identify and explain variability in the Neolithic ceramics from this remote region of Siberia. Research was carried out within a cultural framework established by the region's principal archaeological chronicler, V. M. Vetrov. Through
Hommel, Peter
The emergence of ceramics among hunter-gatherers in northern Eurasia : the Neolithic ceramics of the Upper Vitim Basin, northern Transbaikal, Siberia. The pivotal role of hunter-gatherers in the origins of ceramic technology has only recently been recognized. Chronological evidence, which allows the scale of this largely unacknowledged phenomenon to be visualized, is presented and discussed. The origins of pottery, the perceived constraints on production and plausible functional/symbolic roles for pottery are discussed in the context of emergent complexity within hunter-gatherer society. A case study in early ceramics from the Upper Vitim Basin, Northern Transbaikal, Siberia (which superficially conforms some of the simple expectations of the dominant explanatory models) is introduced alongside two, locally-specific and conflicting interpretations of ceramic use in the region which this study sets out to explore, test and extend. Macroscopic description and thin-section petrography, supplemented by a small range of targeted instrumental analyses (including a small, self-contained pilot study in residue analysis) were employed to identify and explain variability in the Neolithic ceramics from this remote region of Siberia. Research was carried out within a cultural framework established by the region's principal archaeological chronicler, V. M. Vetrov. Through
emergence ceramic among hunter_gatherer northern eurasia neolithic_ceramic upper basin northern pivotal_role hunter_gatherer origin ceramic_technology recently recognize chronological evidence allow scale largely unacknowledged phenomenon present discuss origin pottery perceive constraint production plausible functional symbolic_role pottery discuss_context emergent complexity within hunter_gatherer society case_study early ceramic upper basin northern superficially conform simple expectation dominant explanatory_model introduce alongside locally specific conflicting interpretation ceramic use region study set_explore test extend macroscopic description thin_section_petrography supplement small range target instrumental analysis include small self pilot_study residue_analysis employ identify explain variability neolithic_ceramic remote region carry within cultural framework_establish region principal archaeological chronicler