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Pottery Use-Alteration Analysis

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Use-Wear and Residue Analysis in Archaeology

Part of the book series: Manuals in Archaeological Method, Theory and Technique ((MATT))

Abstract

Pottery use-alteration consists of three traces: residue, carbonization, and attrition. An analysis of these traces leads to stronger inferences about actual pottery function. Residue analysis relies on gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy and other available techniques and can inform on the former contents of the vessels. Patterns of external carbonization, or sooting, are created while a vessel is over a fire and depends upon the type of hearth and the methods of cooking. Internal carbonization is created when food inside the vessel is charred and can be used to infer the mode (wet or dry) of cooking as well as aspects about the cooking process. Attrition, either on the interior or exterior of the vessel, can be used to infer a variety of use activities. In this chapter, the various use-alteration traces are reviewed and methods for analysis are outlined.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 4640 Anthropology, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, 61790-4640, USA

    James M. Skibo

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  1. James M. Skibo
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Correspondence to James M. Skibo .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal

    João Manuel Marreiros

  2. Institució Milà i Fontanals, Barcelona, Spain

    Juan F. Gibaja Bao

  3. Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal

    Nuno Ferreira Bicho

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Skibo, J. (2015). Pottery Use-Alteration Analysis. In: Marreiros, J., Gibaja Bao, J., Ferreira Bicho, N. (eds) Use-Wear and Residue Analysis in Archaeology. Manuals in Archaeological Method, Theory and Technique. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08257-8_10

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