Recording strategy for clay artefacts
There are several material categories found at the pile dwelling that are made of clay, in this text daub, burned clay and unburned clay are included.
Objects made of clay, in this text daub, burned clay and unburned clay, were found in abundance during Malmer’s excavations and these objects have been recorded based on ocular assessment. The oftentimes small objects have been described and recorded with respect to their weight and total number within each record. Information concerning context andyear of excavation has been noted for every record.
The clay material contains by definition artefacts that have been made of clay. If the clay appears tempered these artefacts are in effect recorded as ceramics i.e. pottery.
Method
When registering the material from Malmer’s excavations it has been difficult to determine the artefacts as either daub or clay. Still, the main point of departure when defining the different materials has been the fact that daub is unburned clay that has dried, often as a seal or finish of a construction. Burned clay is clay that is burned. This difference has formed the basis of the registrations of these objects. It should be noted that the differences between dried clay (i.e. daub) and burned clay has often been difficult to ascertain. Nonetheless, when clay is burned the structure is altered and it has therefore been considered as the most reliable difference between the two materials.
A third type of artefact has been registered within the current project, presently defined as unburned clay. The definition of this category can best be described as raw or untreated, in comparison to daub/dried clay that has been formed. It is very difficult to define. However, the objects that are defined as daub are often amorphous lumps that are pressed together, sometimes with imprints, whereas the objects of unburned clay are very unstable; seemingly more of a powder and very fragile without any clear form. The unburned clay can contain seeds and pieces of reed and other materials. They are very fragile and fall apart easily.
It should be noted that a few objects have been determined as a clay artefacts rather than ceramics even though one or a few mineralogical grains occur, since these objects have not been interpreted as deliberately tempered.
Soot
Soot has been registered when present.
Organic residue
Organic residue has been recorded when present, i.e. probable food crust or similar adhesion to the clay fragment. The residue must be clearly different from soot. In comparison, soot has coloured the artefact black and the residue is crust stuck on/adhering to the artefact.
Text: Nathalie Hinders