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Production of Prehistoric Southwestern Ceramics: A Low-Technology Approach

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Yasushi Kojo*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, Royal University of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Abstract

Production organization of Tusayan White and Gray wares (A.D. 850–1150) in northeastern Arizona was inferred from four independent lines of evidence: (1) association between temper class and geological zone, (2) distribution of intermediate pottery having characteristics of coterminous wares, (3) portable vessel frequencies in the core and peripheral areas, and (4) distribution of items and features related to pottery making. In spite of the propositions made by some scholars that specialized ceramic production and a large-scale ceramic exchange were the case, the present analysis strongly indicates the prevalence of household production with a minimal occurrence of exchange in the core area of these wares during the period. In the right circumstances, a low-technology approach is more useful than high-technology and high-cost approaches, e.g., neutron activation, X-ray emission, thin-section analysis, in the study of production and exchange of prehistoric ceramics.

Resumen

Resumen

La organización de la producción de la cerámica Tusayan Blancay Tusayan Gris (850 a 1150 d.C.) en el noreste de Arizona se infiere a partir de cuatro líneas de evidencia independientes: (1) la asociatión entre clase de antiplástico y zona geológica, (2) la distributión de cerámica intermedia que posee características de otras vajillas contemporáneas, (3) las frequencias de vasijas portables en las áreas nuclear y periférica, y (4) la distributión de objetos y rasgos relacionados con productión cerámica. A pesar de que algunos arqueólogos han propuesto que la productión de esta cerámica fue especializada y que ésta se intercambio a gran escala, el presente análisis indica claramente la prevalencia de produción doméstica con ocurrencia mínima de intercambio en el área nuclear durante este período. En circumstancias apropiadas, el análisis cerámico que resta en técnicas básicas para estudiar productión y distributión de cerámica prehistorica es más útil que aquél basado en tecnicas sofisticadas y de alto costo, tales como activatión neutrónica, emisión de rayos X, o análisis de láminas delgados.

Type
Reports
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1996

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References

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