Pottery Analysis

Archeologists typically perform four types of analysis on ceramic artifacts: experimental studies, form and function analysis, stylistic analysis, and technological analysis. In experimental studies, archeologists attempt to replicate ancient methods of pottery making in the laboratory. These studies yield valuable information about firing techniques, firing temperatures, and about the properties of coating materials. Archeologists may also study present-day pottery-making techniques in various cultures around the world to better understand how methods were used by traditional cultures.

Analyses based on form and function focus on the shapes of ceramic vessels. The underlying assumption in this approach is that the shape of the vessel was determined by the way it was used. One weakness of this approach is that it ignores other factors that may have influenced the shape the object took, such as the material properties of the clay used, the manufacturing technologies available to the potter, and any cultural factors that might have constrained the form that the vessel eventually took. When employed properly, form and function analyses can provide valuable information about ancient economic patterns, units of measure, household food production and consumption, and household sizes.

Stylistic analysis focuses on the decorative styles applied to ceramic artifacts, including painted designs, incisions, embossing, and other surface treatments. Because decorative patterns, and the information they convey, are more likely to have been determined by specific cultural elements than are form and function, stylistic analysis is the technique most frequently used to analyze ancient pottery. When the results of stylistic analyses are validated against other archeological data, it often becomes possible to trace social change in a culture through time. While there is no doubt that this type of analysis has made great contributions to archeology, there remains a need for greater rigor and consistency when applying it across different regions and time periods.

Technological analyses look at the materials from which the ceramic is made. Of chief interest are the chemical composition of the clay, the tempering materials, and the proportion of clay to temper. Technological analyses provide valuable data about variations in vessel forms, classification systems, and the origins of the materials used to construct pots. Because pots, both as objects in themselves and as vessels for other commodities such as grain, oils, wine, and salt, were very often trade objects, technological analyses can reveal information about ancient trade routes and trading patterns. Technological analyses may use neutron activation analysis, X-ray diffraction, or ceramic petrology to identify trace elements in clay or temper to gather information about the production, distribution, use and disposal of ceramic artifacts.