- Department: Archaeology
- Module co-ordinator: Dr. Gareth Perry
- Credit value: 5 credits
- Credit level: M
- Academic year of delivery: 2021-22
- See module specification for other years: 2022-23
This brand-new skills module delves into the hidden depths of the humble pottery sherd. You’ll get to grips with archaeological pottery in new ways and explore a range of techniques that will open windows into the mind of the potter, enabling you to reconstruct how pottery was made and used in the past.
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Spring Term 2021-22 |
The module aims to
By the end of the module the students will:
Drawing on ethnographic and archaeological examples students are introduced to the process of pottery production and the social context in which it takes place. Through lectures and practical exercises, students will be guided through the methods available to archaeologists seeking to reconstruct and interpret pottery production practices. They will gain experience in interpreting surface characteristics, geochemical data, x-ray images and SEM microstructural analysis of ceramic, glazes and pigments to inform interpretations of raw material procurement and processing activities, forming procedures and firing regimes and use activities. By the end of the course students will have gained the basic skills that will enable them to plan and undertake independent research into potters’ production practice, selecting the most appropriate techniques and strategies to answer their research questions.
Task | Length | % of module mark |
---|---|---|
Essay/coursework Question sheet |
N/A | 100 |
Pass/fail
Task | Length | % of module mark |
---|---|---|
Essay/coursework Question sheet |
N/A | 100 |
Feedback will be shared within 4 weeks
Hunt, A. 2016. Oxford Handbook of Archaeological Ceramic Analysis. Oxford: oxford University Press
Rice, P. 2015. Pottery Analysis: a sourcebook. Chicago: University of Chicago Press
Rye, O. 1981. Pottery Technology: Principles and Reconstruction. Manuals in Archaeology 4. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press