Pottery Analysis in Archaeology

Pottery is among the most important classes of artifact that archaeologists study. This video introduces some of the basic kinds of observations that archaeologists can make on pottery, with emphasis on ones that do not require expensive equipment, but briefly discussing petrographic analysis and refirings. It presupposes some knowledge of the basic forming and finishing methods for pottery, and I provide some links below to videos that demonstrate some of those methods.
• African Pottery Formin...
• African Pottery Formin...
• how to make clay pots ...
• Nigerian Pottery: Igbo...
• Pottery Making Technol...
• Pottery made without a...
• Roman Lamp.wmv
• Women Potters Of Cypru...
My book, The Archaeologist's Laboratory:
link.springer.com/book/10.100...

[@zxp930603]

I've been watching this channel these days, it is amazing that The Archaeologist's Laboratory share really basic knowledge and detailed methods of archaeology in public, I appreciate your kindness for recording these videos to let non-professional people find a rather easy way to step in to archaeologist's world. A person works at archaeology museum in Taiwan.

[@thearchaeologistslaborator6591]

Thank you! I really appreciate your feedback.

[@davidkelsey2864]

What a great resource.

[@thearchaeologistslaborator6591]

Thanks for the positive feedback!

[@zhraaomar104]

thank for all information .dr

[@thearchaeologistslaborator6591]

You're welcome. I'm glad you found it helpful.

[@slastname7224]

شكراً على المعلومات القيمة

[@thearchaeologistslaborator6591]

عفوان

[@perpetualponder6851]

Is there a PDF of the guidebook online. I'm currently working as a volunteer at the New Mexico history museum archaeology department and they are having me restore some pottery. Your guidebook would be a great resource.

[@thearchaeologistslaborator6591]

Sorry. Which guidebook did you mean?

[@stephenking9789]

does piecing sherds back together to reassemble the pot significantly increase the value vs just leaving em on display in pieces when selling?

[@tedbanning9090]

Physically restoring broken pots is more important for museums than for archaeologists, although we sometimes do that too. However, it is unethical for archaeologists to participate in or even comment on things that might contribute to the marketing of antiquities, so I can't really answer your question. We regularly see the negative impact of the antiquities trade on archaeological heritage, while it usually contributes very little to the local economy in comparison, say, to archaeological tourism.

[@EvanRobinson85]

Who are the best people to talk to about pictographs, petroglyphs, and other forms of native american rock art and ceremony art?

[@EvanRobinson85]

I discovered an unknown cave a couple months back and I'm pretty sure I found some sort of pictographs on the wall. I had a fellow caver/archaeologist come check it out, but he told me he thinks it might be natural, but it is too uniformed with cross hatch lines forming diamond patterns. I would like a few other opinions before I rule it out. I want to trust him, but it's too perfect and doesn't match any natural marks I've ever seen in a cave. There are other vertical marks in another location of the cave that he believes is definitely some form of petroglyphs from the woodland period.

[@thearchaeologistslaborator6591]

I'm no expert on rock art, but there are books on the subject both in America and in other places, especially Europe and Australia. Most of those I know are from the 70s through 90s, but a more recent one is Timothy McCleary's Crow Indian Rock Art: Indigenous Perspectives and Interpretations.