The contribution of the physical sciences to the reconstruction of the production technology (ie, processing of raw materials, forming, surface treatments and firing methods) for earthenwares, stonewares, porcelains and stonepaste bodies are summarized The organization of production and the reasons for technological choice are considered Provenance studies based on both chemical analysis and thin-section petrography are discussed, with the investigation of Minoan and Mycenaean pottery being taken as the case study The approaches to determining how pottery vessels were used in antiquity are outlined Finally, future developments in ceramic studies are briefly considered

Ceramic production, provenance and use : a review

The basic underlying theory for the strength, toughness and thermal shock resistance of brittle multiphase clay ceramics, together with the measurement procedures to determine these parameters, are first outlined. Published experimental data obtained for test bars containing different types of temper and fired to a range of temperatures are then compared both with theoretical predictions and between themselves. The results confirm that to produce pottery with high strength requires high firing temperatures and low temper concentrations. Conversely, to produce pottery with high toughness and thermal shock resistance requires low firing temperatures and high temper concentrations, with platy or fibrous temper being most effective. There is no convincing published evidence that strength and toughness requirements were a significant factor in determining the technological choices (clay type, temper type and concentration, and firing temperature) in the production of pottery used as containers for transport and storage. In contrast, the routine use of high temper concentrations and low firing temperatures in the production of cooking pots suggests that the requirement for high thermal shock resistance was a factor that at least influenced technological choice in this case. In addition, there is some evidence that limestone and shell were, on occasions, deliberately chosen as temper in cooking pots. The need to take into account the crucial role that the full range of environmental, technological, economic, social, political and ideological factors have in influencing technological choice is also emphasized. This review highlights the fact that our current understanding of the factors determining strength, toughness and thermal shock resistance of clay ceramics is still far from complete. Further systematic measurements of these parameters, together with the establishment of a systematic database of the range of technological choices associated with the production of cooking pots, are therefore to be encouraged.

Strength, Toughness and Thermal Shock Resistance of Ancient Ceramics, and Their Influence on Technological Choice

A Companion to Women in the Ancient World is the first interdisciplinary, methodologically based collection of readings to address the study of women in the ancient world while weaving textual, visual, and archaeological evidence into its approach. Prominent scholars tackle the myriad problems inherent in the interpretation of the evidence, and consider the biases and interpretive categories inherited from centuries of scholarship. Essays and case studies cover an unprecedented breadth of chronological and geographical range, genres, and themes.

A companion to women in the ancient world

1. Demolishing the museum of sensory ab/sense 2. Archaeology, modernity, and the senses 3. Recapturing sensorial and affective experience 4. Senses, materiality, time: a new ontology 5. Sensorial necro-politics: the mortuary mnemoscapes of Bronze Age Crete 6. Why 'palaces'? Senses, memory, and the 'palatial' phenomenon in Bronze Age Crete 7. From corporeality to sensoriality, from things to flows.

Archaeology and the Senses: Human Experience, Memory, and Affect

In this article, we explore the typological distinction between primary and secondary states. We outline a methodology for exploring variability in the formation and organization of secondary states that integrates aspects of traditional neoevolutionary approaches, Marcus's “dynamic model,” Blanton et al.'s “dual-processual model,” and world-systems theory. We discuss the development of the Minoan and Mycenaean states of the Bronze Age Aegean and argue that they arose via different mechanisms of secondary state formation, through direct and indirect contact with neighboring societies in the Eastern Mediterranean, Near East, and Egypt. We argue that a model that measures state formation along several different theoretical dimensions encourages archaeological exploration of secondary states along varied historical trajectories, in different (pre)historic contexts.

/pdf/secondary-states-in-perspective-an-integrated-approach-to-1hzanmnf8v.pdf

Secondary states in perspective: An integrated approach to state formation in the prehistoric Aegean

A new study of Kamares ware, integrating stylistic and petrographic analysis, suggests that Protopalatial Knossos was a centre of ritual consumption rather than production, obtaining some of its specialized vessels for drinking and feasting ceremonies from production centres elsewhere in central Crete.

Consuming power : Kamares Ware in Protopalatial Knossos

Reassessing specialization in Prepalatial Cretan ceramic production

This paper is a summary of the results of a workshop held at Knossos in August 1992. The aims of the workshop were to examine the most coherent and reliable deposits, place them in a chronological sequence, and decide on common terminologies and definitions. This brief paper provides a framework and serves as a common introduction to various detailed studies of Knossian EM–MM pottery by the various authors which have appeared, are in press, or are forthcoming.

Early Minoan and Middle Minoan pottery groups at Knossos

This article presents a stylistic assessment of the pottery from early tests (1900–1905) at Knossos that may be assigned to EM I. There follows a discussion of the problems of ceramic phasing of EM I Knossos and the relative chronology of Central Crete with the South Aegean in EB I. Finally, the social context of ceramic consumption at EM I Knossos and North-Central Crete is explored, and the possible evidence this may provide for ritualised social practice at Knossos and emergent social differentiation and power.

EM I chronology and social practice: pottery from the early palace tests at Knossos1

EM I chronology and social practice: pottery from the early palace tests at Knossos (Plates 1-13)

Handle everyday research tasks with reliable, citation-backed results

Your personal Research Agent to handle research tasks with citation-backed results

Popular Tasks used by Researchers

How can I help with your research?

Meet SciSpace

Get more enhanced response by uploading the PDFs you want me to reference.

No relevant PDFs in your library

SciSpace is the AI research assistant for academics. Run systematic literature reviews on 280M+ papers, and write papers with cited sources. Trusted by 1M+ students, PhDs & researchers.

SciSpace | AI for Research

Analyze PDFs

Code & Manuscripts

Funding & Grants

Literature & Patents

Medical & Clinical Data

Systematic Review

Visualize & Present

Web & Data

Build a Google Scholar-like website for your research.

Build a website

Create charts and images for your research

Create a Chart

Write a paper for submission to a journal

Draft a manuscript

Patent Search

Design eye-catching scientific posters in minutes.

Scientific Poster Generation

Systematic Literature Review

One task is running at the moment. Your messages will be shown right after.

Drag and drop or click here to browse

Loved by <highlight>1 million+</highlight> researchers

Extract a list of specific topics and their sources from unstructured text

Topics

Compare and analyze relevant papers that matches with your search

Papers

Get insights from PDFs and bookmarked papers from your library

My library

Recent searches

Try searching for:

Catch AI-generated content in scholarly and non-scholarly content

{ai} Detector

Ai Writer

Get PDF Summaries, highlighted text explanations 

Chat with PDF

Effortlessly create in-text citations and bibliographies in APA and 2,500 other formats

Citation generator

Get explanations, summaries, and answers on academic papers

Ease up your research workflow with {scispace}'s cohort of exciting AI tools

Elevate your academic writing skills and convey your ideas the way you want

Paraphraser

Explore our range of reading and writing tools

Your file is being prepared and should be ready in a few minutes. If it's a large file, it might take a bit longer. You can close this window, and we'll email you the file when it's done.

You have reached a maximum limit of <strong>{limit}</strong> columns in the table. Remove at least <strong>1</strong> column to add or create another one.

David E. Wilson

Author Tools

Chat about Author