Recording ceramics

Recording strategy for the pottery

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The pottery, dissolved pottery and clay coils found during Malmer’s investigations have been recorded based on ocular assessment within the current project. The pottery assemblage is divided into sherds and fragments. The fragments are defined as pottery sherds less than 1cm². The fragments have only been recorded with respect to their weight and ware. The remaining material is defined as sherds which have been recorded in the same way in all three trenches. However, there are exceptions; a number of sherds less than 1cm² from the Western trench have been recorded equally detailed as larger sherds, however, noted as eg. fragment in Swedish in the database (Eng. i.e. fragments). In the following texts these fragments will be included in the larger group of fragments and will not be discussed separately. These fragments have been registered as described above since they have been defined as sherds in Browall 2016. Since they are labelled as fragments in the database it enables studies where they can either be excluded or included as they have the same amount of information as larger sherds.

Information concerning context, year of excavation and ware has been noted for every record, décor is recorded when present. The sherd thickness has been recorded when both the inside and the outside of the sherd is considered intact. Technical parameters such as largest grain of temper and sherd thickness have been measured with a calliper. In some cases, the determination of certain parameters has been considered too uncertain to record, in which case that parameter is unrecorded.

One of the main goals of recording the pottery was to determine the sherds to either Funnel beaker pottery or Pitted Ware pottery and if possible, also the third type of pottery found at the pile dwelling the so-called Pile Dwelling pottery (see Browall 2011:255-291 for further discussion). To enable the determination of the ceramic traditions present in the material it became evident that a wide range of qualities concerning the ceramic craft (see definitions below) was necessary to observe. This in order to scientifically define the ceramic traditions and their specificity at the pile dwelling.

 

Method

The recording of the assemblage primarily concerns characterization of the sherds, which leads to the determination of ceramic traditions, i.e. Funnel beaker pottery (FBP), Pitted Ware pottery (PWP) or Pile dwelling pottery (PDP). The parameters recorded are number of sherds, weight, ware, temper, largest grain of temper, vessel building technique, sherd thickness, colour, presence of soot and/or organic residue, décor and vessel shape. The literature that has formed the basis of the recording is Hulthén (1998), Browall (2011) and Papmehl-Dufay (2006).

At the outset, the recording strategy was built only on recording the technical parameters (described below). As the recording continued, the parameters were evaluated connecting certain qualities to sherds that traditionally would be interpreted as either FBC or PWP, which consequently led to these aspects being deciding factors of the different pottery traditions when recording the rest of the material. The qualities of special importance for determining the sherds within the current project were décor, form, choice of temper and size of the temper grains.

The recording process has thus been continuously evaluated and developed, resulting in a recording strategy that focused on describing the material. It has been of great importance not to decide what parameters that represent the different pottery traditions from the beginning, this in order to enable the material to be recorded as detailed and objectively as possible.

 

Determining pottery traditions

Typical aspects connected to the FBP and PWP involve all of the above-mentioned qualities. The FBP at the Alvastra pile dwelling has been determined based on large grains of crushed granite, in combination with FBP-décor such as incised lines, vertical bands of angular patterns and other more complex patterns that include a number of different décor elements. Discernible vessel forms that are typically connected to FBP are e.g brimmed beakers.

The PWP at the pile dwelling has been determined based on small, uniform temper grains well mixed into the clay matrix. The PWP sherds are traditionally calciferous yet equally prepared when the temper is mineralogical, thus easily identified as PWP. The temper is combined with typical décor connected to PWP such as horizontal lines of pits and other impressions, herring-bone motif and angular patterns applied in a dragging motion or incised with combs or shells. The PWP vessels are often large and have distinctively carinated shoulders and rounded bases.

The described parameters above are typically connected to FBP and PWP and have been used as initial outlines of determining the pottery traditions. As the recording strategy evolved and was evaluated, the understanding of the different pottery traditions at the pile dwelling grew and new aspects could be added to the primary groups. In this fashion, the recording of the previously undetermined PDP progressed and parameters connected to this group can now be put forward. The seemingly site-specific PDP is characterized by large rounded gravel as temper (see the other ceramic document for further details). The vessel shapes are rather straight and morphological features are hard to discern. A large portion of the PDP vessels have been coiled in the u-technique. The décor is sparse and consists of large imprints under the rim, and above/under the shoulder.

With a clear foundation in the technical aspects and thorough recording of décor, the pottery type groups at the pile dwelling have been understood. Thus, the recording of one sherd starts with technical assessment, followed by an evaluation of the décor, and then interpreted as a whole.

 

Technical parameters

The technical parameters are presented below:

 

Ware

The definition of ceramic ware is based on the common practice of dividing PWP into non-poriferous and poriferous ware. In this material non-poriferous ware is most frequently tempered with crushed granite (Sw. krossad bergart) and poriferous ware is most often tempered with calciferous material (Sw. kalkmagrad) that dissolved during the time that the sherds were deposited in the peat/soil thus leaving small cavities in the ceramic ware (i.e. the sherd looks poriferous).

 

 

Temper

Two main types of temper have been used for the pottery found at the pile dwelling, crushed granite and rounded gravel (Sw. rundade korn). Sherds with calciferous temper occur as well as sherds seemingly tempered with sand (Sw. sandmagrad). Some sherds display an admixture of two different types of temper e.g. crushed granite and calciferous temper – this is recorded when present.

 

Largest grain of temper

The largest grain of temper is noted for each record. The largest grain has been determined and then measured with a calliper and rounded to the full millimetre. When one record contains several sherds the largest grain of temper among all the sherds has been determined and then measured. In some cases, sherds have been tempered with calciferous material or sand, making it difficult to determine the largest grain of temper. In this case that particular parameter has been left unrecorded.

 

Vessel building technique

The recorded vessel building techniques are u-technique or n-technique. In some cases, the sherds display both techniques or a mix of both techniques. Sherds displaying both techniques or a mix are recorded as u-/n-technique. In some cases, it has not been possible to determine vessel building technique and this parameter is left unrecorded.

The vessel building technique is primarily observed in the profile of the horizontal breaks of the sherds. Sometimes, the sherds have broken off in the join between two clay coils used to build the vessel wall, making the technique visible.

 

Sherd thickness

The sherd thickness is measured when both the inside- and the outside of the vessel is considered intact. The thickness is measured with a calliper and rounded to the full millimetre.

 

Colour

Colour is registered for every record. The determination of colour is primarily based on the preserved outside of the sherd, secondly, on the inside of the sherd and thirdly, based on the ware if the sherd is spalled on both sides. The colours have been determined as follows, grey, grey-yellow, yellow-grey etc. (in Swedish; see Color scheme fig 1.). A small sample of sherds has been determined according to the Munsell color chart and then used as references for the larger assemblage (see fig. 1).

 

 

 

 

Soot

Soot is registered when it occurs. Location of the soot (based on vessel morphology) i.e. on the inside of the vessel or on the outside, is recorded when possible.

 

 

Organic residue

Organic residue is recorded when it occurs, i.e. probable food crust. The definition of organic residue here means overtly clear residue on the sherd wall. The residue has to be different from soot. In comparison, soot has coloured the surface black and the residue is crust adhesive to the vessel wall. Organic residue can be combined with soot.

 

Décor

The recording of décor is primarily based on the scheme constructed by Browall (2011: 255-291). The scheme was chosen since the pottery from Frödin’s excavations (1909-1930) has been recorded using this scheme. When the current project was initiated (2015) the available literature concerning the pottery was Browall (2011) and Hulthén (1998). At that point Browall (2011) was considered the most extensive volume and was therefore chosen as the primary literary base of the pottery décor record. The choice was made even though the décor scheme is a so-called rigid system (see Malmer 1963:115; Papmehl-Dufay 2006:159). Nonetheless, using the same scheme for the entire ceramic assemblage from the pile dwelling is preferable since the recording becomes more uniform and accessible for further research than if a new scheme was chosen. The wish to have a uniform record of the décor is also the main reason why the décor scheme presented in Browall 2016 has not been applied in this work.

Having stated this, there have been additions to the scheme of Browall 2011 in the current database. The definitions of these decorative elements have to a high degree been outlined so that they would correlate with the original scheme (see fig 6 in the Ceramic assemblage ) and are to some extent based on the definitions used by Browall 2016:108f. In conclusion, vessel décor types V1-V32 and R1-R13 are described in Browall (2011:258ff), and added décor elements by Hinders 2017 are V33-V49 and R14-R18; described in fig 6 here.

Due to the set parameters for the database the name of the decorative elements had to be shortened. However, the full name according to Hinders 2017 as well as the used abbreviations and translations to English can be found in table 2(see Browall 2011 for previous work).

 

Vessel shape

The vessel shape, or rather the sherd morphology, is registered when possible. In some cases, it has been possible to determine several parts of the original vessel within the same sherd and then recorded as follows, rim, neck or neck, shoulder etc. (in Swedish). Papmehl-Dufay (2006:158 fig. 5:9) forms the basis of these definitions.

 

Mini vessels

Within Neolithic pottery assemblages mini vessels occur. Discussions as to what the small vessels represent have been many. However, it is common to determine sherds that have a circumference less than 10 cm as mini vessels (see Leijonhufvud 1989); the width of the rim has been chosen as the determining parameter in the current project as well. Determining these small sherds is sometimes difficult and can easily be mistaken for brimmed beakers, something that has been taken into account during recording.

 

Recording the Dissolved Pottery

The ceramic material from Malmer’s investigation includes a puzzling type of pottery described in Swedish as keramikgröt or upplöst keramik, here dissolved pottery. There has been much debate concerning the dissolved pottery as the vessels are perceived as being dissolved, possibly through soil chemical composition in the mire (Frödin 1910; Hulthén 1998; Browall 2011; Browall 2016; see the ceramic assemblage for further discussion).

 

Method

Two different methods have been applied in the recording of the dissolved pottery. In the Eastern trench the dissolved pottery has been recorded in line with the rest of the pottery from the trench, i.e. it has not been recorded as a separate group. However, the material was sifted through a 0,5mm sieve and then weighed. The sifted material was weighed and the amount noted for each record. The rest of the material mainly consisted of soil and organic debris from the original layers. The material was examined and later discarded. This methodology was chosen before the entire amount and characteristics of the deviant material was fully understood. Three records of dissolved ceramics have nonetheless been registered from the Eastern trench since these were first discovered at a later stage of the recording when a new methodology was applied.

The second method concerns the material from the Middle and Western trenches. The dissolved pottery was weighed and recorded as keramikgröt. A sample of records from the Middle trench have been photographed.

The term keramikgröt is unfortunate (Eng. ceramic porridge) however, this denomination has been used continuously in the documentation, during and after the excavation. For this reason it was chosen; again to avoid misunderstanding when studying the material.

Text: Nathalie Hinders

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The following references from this page have no web link.

Browall, H., 2011. Alvastra pålbyggnad. 1909-1930 års utgrävningar. Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien. Handlingar. Antivkariska serien 48. Stockholm.

Browall, H., 2016. Alvastra pålbyggnad. 1976-1980 års utgrävningar. Västra schaktet. Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien. Handlingar. Antivkariska serien 52 . Stockholm.

Leijonhufvud, M., 1989. Keramiken på Västerbjers, Gothem sn. En studie i boplats och gravkeramik från stenåldern. Unpublished seminar paper, Stockholm university.

Malmer, M.P., 1963. Metodprolem inom järnålderns konsthistoria. Acta archaeologica lundernsia. Series in 8° No. 3. Lund

Papmehl-Dufay, L., 2006. Shaping an identity. Pitted Ware pottery and potters in southeast Sweden. Theses and papers in scientific archaeology 7. Stockholm.