Vol 4, No 3 (2015)

The article is devoted to presenting a brief history of the organization and carrying out for 25 years Samara expedition to the experimental study of ancient pottery. Organization of this expedition was due to the need to solve problems related to the study of ancient pottery techniques. The authors examined the concept of «cultural tradition» in the pottery and is designed structure of the experiment in the field of pottery technology. The main task of technological research in the framework of historical and cultural areas developed A.A.Bobrinskim, is the study of traces of in fractures and on the surface of archaeological vessels arising from the use of certain methods of the ancient potters work. The result of technological research is the reconstruction of the cultural traditions that have existed among the study population. Methods of studying pottery technology is based on a binocular microscope, trasologii and experiment in the form of physical modeling and assumes the reference series. The objectives of the expedition was to create a basic reference collections for all the stages of pottery production, as well as experiments on the problems arising in the analysis of particular archaeological ceramics. The article analyzes the realized expedition general and individual programs in two areas: research and education, and provides a list of reference collections of feedstock, molding compositions and methods for treating surfaces that are available for study.

The paper contains the results of the field experimental firings in fireplaces and in ovens made on the basis of Samara pottery experimental expedition (Dr N.P. Salugina is the leader of the expedition) in 2013. The author put forward two goals: one is to discover the basic knowledge on firing process with various kinds of fuel, and second is to find out the specific features to discern the vessels fired in fireplaces from the vessels fired in ovens. 20 vessels were prepared to the experiment. The first 10 pots were made of natural clay and the second 10 vessels were made of pottery paste (clay + grog + cow dung). Five simultaneous firings with various kinds of fuel were organized in fireplace and in oven. The author describes in detail the program, main steps, and maximum temperature of firings, the photos of the vessels, and the results of their analytical studies. After the experiments the author came to the next conclusions: firstly - there are absent the reliable features to distinguish the vessels fired in fireplace and in oven, secondly - there is one dependence between a kind pottery paste and a color of fired vessels and another relation between pottery paste and a degree of high-temperature baking of vessels.

The preliminary analysis of Early Neolithic pottery from North Central Bulgaria, and the site of Dzhulyunitsa specifically, yielded surprising results which affect a number of aspects related to the study of the Neolithisation processes. Not all characteristic features traditionally considered as key signal of the Neolithisation processes were confirmed by our mineralogical and chemical analysis. A number of specifics related to the presence of engobe for instance, indicate a considerably more complex picture. In some cases the observations show no additional slip, just a simple burnish of the brownish ware, whereas in others a true slip covers both the inner and the outer surface of the vessels (white or cream-slip ware). With regard to the red engobe specifically, the majority of studied fragments actually have just red-colour surface that results from the oxidation or the rubbing of ochre, and not from the addition of a true slip. These observations raise the following question: do we actually compare same technological approaches, traditionally seen as signal for the spread of the Neolithic way of life? Furthermore, as regards the provenance of the vessels, materials expected to have local origin proved to be imported whereas others, seen as more specific and coming from distant territories were actually made on the spot by local row-materials. Even at this stage the preliminary results do not confirm some of the traditional views on this early material, raise a series of new questions and represent a ground for further interpretations and discussions regarding an eventual fragility of some models suggested for the Neolithisation processes in this part of South-East Europe.

The article deals with the pottery from the Sarmatian burial grounds of the Southern Urals and Western Kazakhstan. Pottery was placed in the graves of the representatives of all social stratums of the nomadic population. In more expensive imported dishes were usually placed. Sarmatian ceramics was actively used both in household and in religious ceremonies. Specially produced vessels for burial rites are found in the graves, as well as utensils already used in the household, including those repaired. The author points out the signs which prove that the pottery had been in household use before being placed in the grave: the presence of soot on the inner and outer walls of the vessels; grease stains and traces of boiling over liquid food; repair marks; (broken handles, chipped edges of the vessels, etc.); scuff marks and homemade polishing; the change of color on the surface the vessel and on the layers of the potsherds. The characteristics proving that the pottery was specially manufactured burial rites include: the use of raw materials with rough natural impurities; poor quality battering (uneven distribution of tempers); negligence in the moulding; short-term exposure to temperatures below 450 ° C during firing;) the absence of soot on the walls of the vessel; the absence of repair marks. The examination of the surface of the vessels and experimental work let the author make an assumption about the functional use of some types of pottery.

The article contains the results of reconstruction of techniques and instruments, which made «textile» imprints appear on surface of D'yakovo pottery. The following techniques could cause the appearence of such imprints: 1) constructing in relief concave-forms, 2) paddling, 3) rouletting, 4) punching Experimental evidence allowed to prove that the «textile» imprints were mainly the result of rouletting. Special research permitted to establish some srecific signs of roueletting by the example of pottery wholly coverd with impressions of cord («nitochnyje»). The difference between the similar instruments - the roller winded with thread and the plate paddle winded with tread - were revealed. The technique of rouelling was revealed concerning one more group of pottery - the «speckled» («ryabchatyje») one. The instrument which was used to apply such imprints was also reconstructed. It is the fir cones with partly removed scales. The scales of the cone could be intentionally removed by a human or eaten round by the rodents. Specifity of the traces of the partly removed scales consists in the special outline of the scales, the imprints of the fibre, the traces of rodents' teeth, the imprints of the longitudinal edge of the scales. The amount of the examined imprints allows to talk about the existence of a certain cultural tradition in the sphere of D'yakovo pottery.

Presents traditional and new methods of studying ancient pottery. Stressed that in the world literature there is practically no standard (or at least consistent) approach to the study of ancient ceramics samples using the methods of the natural sciences. Was marked severities and shortcomings and the main is: lack of access for archaeologists to use physical and chemical methods; unsystematic and randomness of the results; the inability to compare results. Lack of specialists among archaeologists and weak interest «natural scientists» led to the fact that have not yet been generalized instructional techniques of individual tests. The methods used for the study of ceramics, do not become the subject of training in higher educational institutions. That's why many archaeologists who study the technology of ancient pottery do not accept these methods because of considering them formal. Noted that the instrumental analysis using the methods of the natural sciences is aimed primarily at identifying those features that allow you to identify the technical and technological traditions and techniques of ancient pottery: raw materials strategy formulation and molding compounds. We propose a set of analytical methods that can be used for the reconstruction of pottery technology. On the example of the ceramic collections of the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia, the transition time from the Bronze Age to the early Iron Age shows the possibility of some of the methods of the natural sciences: petrography, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and thermal analysis. It is concluded that the use of physical and chemical methods for the study of ancient ceramics can significantly enhance the ability of research material compared to traditional methods and increase the level of evidence and the objectivity for the historical and cultural situation.

The study of technological methods of manufacturing ceramic materials is considered by the example of the Maikop culture in the North Caucasus and the data of ethnography. As an example the experimental simulation of round-the Maikop culture vessels, made by several methods. Trasological study of the structure of the test pieces of ceramics in the fracture showed that it is possible to determine the area of joints tapes. External and internal ceramic surface smoothed, but you can define a manual molding of thin lines multidirectional polishing. Manual molding can also be defined and some fragments of ceramics on its inner surface, to maintain the following bands modeling and smoothing the surface of joints by hand. Some fragments have a very dense homogeneous structure, which is formed as a result of receiving use knockout, using a wooden spatula or forging of vessel walls using stone tools on both sides. Some techniques for making vascular managed modeled by experiments. Research data on the manufacturing technique of ethnography round bottom flask showed that the modeling techniques such vessels much more. The paper presents the archaeological, ethnographic and experimental data on manufacturing as the flat-bottomed and round bottom flask using a technique manual molding, punch and forging (forging the walls of stone tools from both sides). Recently, using the technique of punch it was carried out a series of experiments on modeling the round bottom flask. Trasological study technology of round bottomed flask with two knockout techniques, not previously considered.