In this study, we explored the biocultural mechanisms underlying ancient craft behaviours. Archae... more In this study, we explored the biocultural mechanisms underlying ancient craft behaviours. Archaeological methods were integrated with neuroscience techniques to explore the impact on neuroplasticity resulting from the introduction of early pottery techniques. The advent of ceramic marked a profound change in the economy and socio-cultural dynamics of past societies. It may have also played a central role in developing new craft skills that influenced the neural plasticity of the potters. Coiling, one of the most widespread neolithic techniques, requires precise hand movements and the ability to regulate finger pressure to shape the clay without deformation. In a pilot study involving intensive training in neolithic pottery, we used TMS-EEG co-registration to monitor a group of participants and we examined the shape of the artefacts they made before and after training. Our findings suggest changes in the functional properties of the primary motor cortex (M1) responsible for the control and execution of actions. We also observed an improvement in symmetry and consistency of the artefacts and a significant reduction in errors. This multidisciplinary approach sheds light on the mechanisms of material culture's variation in the archaeological field and provides promising insights into the co-evolution of technology and human skill.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
Clay Figurines in Context: Crucibles of Egyptian, Nubian, and Levantine Societies in the Middle Bronze Age (2100-1550 BC) and Beyond, 2024
During the 2006 excavation campaign at Ebla a votive deposit was found near the Middle Bronze II ... more During the 2006 excavation campaign at Ebla a votive deposit was found near the Middle Bronze II temple in Area HH, in the Lower Town east. The deposit contained, among a large amount of pottery and some clay and metal objects, a group of 226 nearly complete and fragmentary figurines made of unbaked clay. The figurines are predominantly female, very schematic, and sometimes difficult to understand, and they do not have comparisons elsewhere. In my contribution, I present this peculiar evidence, also discussing their manufacture and I relate it to the rituals that in my opinion took place in that region of the lower town of Old Syrian Ebla.
Clay figurines represent one of the ideal object categories for tracing the profile of their make... more Clay figurines represent one of the ideal object categories for tracing the profile of their makers since they preserve traces of the maker’s gestures. The scope of the article is to reconstruct the different manufacturing steps of clay figurines, assess the complexity of the shaping sequences and study fingerprints to trace the profile of people who produced such artefacts in the ancient village of Lahun (Egypt, MBA II, c. 1800–1700 BC). The high number of production chains revealed that, despite an apparent roughness, clay figurine production was characterised by high stylistic and technological variability, indicating several levels of skill possessed by their producers. On this basis, Lahun clay figurines were not an extemporary or standardised product. A neat division can be established between anthropomorphic figurines and those representing animals, which show a lower degree of complexity and an attempt not to define clear shapes. Most of the figurines were revealed to be mainly shaped by adults, while children contributed in a marginal way to their production. However, the presence of sub-adult fingerprints on some of the clay figurines indicates that children were active agents producing material culture and integrating part of the adult production process through cooperation and/or playing.
The introduction of agricultural practices fostered the development of specific technologies for ... more The introduction of agricultural practices fostered the development of specific technologies for the new subsistence practices and the production of new artefacts. Pyrotechnological structures such as ovens are part of the Neolithic equipment and accompanied the spread of agriculture from the Near East across Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Ovens located within settlementsmainly domed, aboveground structureshave been traditionally linked to cooking and baking. The function is usually deduced from techno-morphological traits, although experimental approaches or ethnoarchaeological observations have often been used. This article aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of the multidisciplinary approach to understand the function of fire structures. An integrated methodology that combines archaeological analysis, archaeometry, and experimental archaeology has been applied to study the underground ovens of the Early Neolithic site of Portonovo (Marche, Italy) dated to the sixth millennium BCE. Samples of hardened sediment of archaeological ovens' inner surface and selected pottery fragments were analysed through X-ray powder diffraction to estimate the temperature reached. A life-size replica of an underground oven was then created to perform firing experiments, including pottery firing. Samples of the oven's walls and experimental vessels were analysed with the same method, and the values were compared. Our results indicate that the Portonovo ovens are potentially multifunctional structures, built for about 700 years, always with the same technique exploiting the natural soil's insulating properties.
Brief report on a project to develop a social history of Egypt from the perspective of the proces... more Brief report on a project to develop a social history of Egypt from the perspective of the processes through which artefacts were produced and what evidence they can provide of those who made them. The work uses museum collections and modern instruments such as portable XRF scanners to examine the artefacts.
Pottery is the most common material found in archaeological excavations and is used as the main t... more Pottery is the most common material found in archaeological excavations and is used as the main tool for chronological dating. Due to the geopolitical instability of the Middle East during the latter part of the last century until recent years, Sumerian pottery studies and analyses are limited. The resumption of archaeological excavations in Iraq during the last ten years allows the acquisition of new information and the study of archaeological material excavated through modern stratigraphic methodologies. This paper presents the results of the non-destructive analyses of Abu Tbeirah Sumerian pottery (Iraq) from the 3rd millennium BC and is aimed at analysing the crystallographic composition of ceramic material, therefore contributing to fill a gap in the knowledge of early Southern Mesopotamian pottery production, shedding new light on details of ancient technology and manufacturing techniques. Among the wide range of analytical techniques available, neutron-based ones have been ch...
This paper focuses on the pottery production of Italian Copper Age communities from central Italy... more This paper focuses on the pottery production of Italian Copper Age communities from central Italy and its social implications. The study concerns a specific territory, the current Rome area, where the vessels coming from domestic and funerary contexts (4th and 3rd millennia BC) seem to differ in terms of production sequences, expertise and use. The social role of craftspeople in these groups is analysed through a series of aspects that directly and indirectly reflect craft behaviour, such as: technological choices in production, the skill required in specific manufacturing processes and the actual level of skill inferred from the ceramic evidence analysed. The methodological approach presented in this paper combines learning theories with a detailed empirical investigation of the potter’s gesture. Data provided by traceological analyses, focusing on manufacturing traces and use wear, compositional analyses of ceramic pastes (petrographic and chemical analyses) and experimental archaeology (reproduction of pottery modelling sequences and ceramic use activities) are interpreted in a wider framework considering also the social value of the craft product. Empirical results revealed specific behaviour patterns in production and use, suggesting different and coexistent degrees of experience and knowledge within domestic production and a higher level of skill and time dedication for shapes used on funerary occasions. This leads to the question of whether the producers of goods were also always the consumers, within contexts where social inequality is perceived as incipient and the role of artisans is better understood if discussed according to usually underestimated aspects such as the skills of craftspeople, the presence of a supportive learning environment and the social value of the ceramic product.
Nessuna parte di questa pubblicazione può essere memorizzata, fotocopiata o comunque riprodotta s... more Nessuna parte di questa pubblicazione può essere memorizzata, fotocopiata o comunque riprodotta senza le dovute autorizzazioni.
Facies e culture nell 'eta del Bronzo italiana?, 2019
This contribution focuses on ceramic technology intended as an identity marker of prehis-toric g... more This contribution focuses on ceramic technology intended as an identity marker of prehis-toric groups. One of the main difficulties with the definition of cultural aspects and identities of prehis-toric groups is represented by the different methodo-logical approaches that were developed over time and in various study traditions. The increasing openness towards an anthropological approach leads to dis-cuss what “culture” means in order to better define the most useful approach to archaeological materials. Yet, a commonly shared opinion on the meaning of culture is lacking. This concept is generally used to indicate consistent and homogeneous assemblages of archaeological evidence reflecting traditions, intended as systems of identity transmission that are able to bring groups together. In this framework, the gap between the original ancient contexts and their traces, along with the impos-sibility to understand some behaviours lead scholars to use the word facies. The concept of facies, introduced in Italian late prehistoric archaeology, is based on the actual representation of ancient evidence and refers to the archaeological data as a configuration resulting from a mostly casual assemblage of remains grouped on the base of the chronological and geographical distribution of formal styles of specific artefacts (e.g. pottery). This concept has been used for a long time as a synonym of “culture”. The identification of a formal style on a large territory can reflect communication mechanisms between communities through the mov-ing of people and objects but, as demonstrated by eth-noarchaeological and anthropological studies, it does not properly reflect cultural identities. This contribution aims to discuss how techno-logical behaviours and technical styles of pottery can contribute to highlight patterns of cultural and social identity supported by the conservation of automatic human behaviours, named motor habits. These latter, acquired during the first stages of an individual’s life, are hard to change and can be reconstructed studying the recurrence of specific clay recipes and technologi-cal traces. However, they can be modified leading to the development of new gestures/habits, if a person, or an entire group, comes in contact with other commu-nities for a conspicuous amount of time. Thus, vessels similar in shape can be produced in completely different ways, as technical styles can be socially acquired and traditionally transmitted, revealing a high variability within an apparent stylistic homogeneity. The applica-tion of a traceological approach to analyse archaeolog-ical materials, integrated with scientific analyses of ceramic pastes and controlled experiments on manu-facturing techniques and their technological traces leads to identify groups sharing social behaviours. The copper age pottery production of the Rome area, pre-sented here as a case study, suggests how the identifi-cation of intentionally transmitted technical styles not always reflects the wider homogeneity due to a circulation of vessel shapes in a territory. Although the case study discussed here has a different chronology and socio-economic organisation if compared to the Bronze Age scenario, featured by a strongly established use of the concept of facies, it suggests the potentialities to analyse and reconstruct the relationships between technology and identity for a better understanding of ancient groups.
This paper focuses on the functional analysis of a specific oval shaped basin diffused in Lower E... more This paper focuses on the functional analysis of a specific oval shaped basin diffused in Lower Egyptian Predynastic sites during the first half of the 4th millennium BC. These oval shallow ceramic basins are characterised by a flat and wide inner surface that is covered by a layer of small rock fragments pressed into the clay matrix. Several archeologists have interpreted them as grinding tools, but the limited number of samples unearthed thus far and their poor state of preservation made this interpretation uncertain. Here we present the results of a preliminary integrated study based on the combination of experimental archaeology and petrographic, use-wear and residue analyses carried out on two samples from the Predynastic site of Maadi. The use-wear analysis of the archaeological fragments highlighted traces of an intentional grinding and light pounding of oily substances, which is also partially supported by the organic residue investigation. These results were tested through experimental tests that confirmed these basins are most likely mortars. Establishing the actual functional activities performed in such a unique type of vessel is important not only for understanding the social behaviors of the Lower Egyptian Predynastic communities and the dynamics related to the diffusion of such basins, but it also provides a new methodological framework for Egyptian Predynastic studies.
This contribution focuses on ceramic vessels unearthed from Copper Age necropolises located in th... more This contribution focuses on ceramic vessels unearthed from Copper Age necropolises located in the area of the modern city of Rome and commonly attributed to the Rinaldone culture. The peculiar vessels’ shapes, mainly associated to the consumption of beverages, the accuracy of manufacture and the very low impact of these ceramic morphologies in the coeval household assemblages, lead to address the peculiarity of such an apparently selected production through a multidisciplinary research. Petrographic analysis, XRF and XRD integrated with the analysis of manufacturing traces and X-Ray investigation, suggest the transmission of technological choices, which remained unchanged over almost two millennia.
This contribution presents the experimental reconstruction of an underground oven replicated acco... more This contribution presents the experimental reconstruction of an underground oven replicated according to the archaeological evidence unearthed from the Early Neolithic site of Portonovo-Fosso Fontanaccia (Ancona-Italy). A domed structure, measuring 190x180 cm diameter at the base and 50 cm in height, was dug in 15 hours, in a sediment compatible with the geological formation that features the archaeological site. The experimental protocol presented in this article aims to reconstruct techniques, timing and tools needed to dig the peculiar underground structures of Portonovo used by Neolithic groups and understand key topics regarding the entire technical process such as energy investment for the community, seasonality and lifespan.
Architectures of Fire: Processes, Space and Agency in Pyrotechnologies, 2019
A r c h a eop r e s s Acc e s s A rch a e o l o gy A Architectures of Fire Processes, Space and A... more A r c h a eop r e s s Acc e s s A rch a e o l o gy A Architectures of Fire Processes, Space and Agency in Pyrotechnologies edited by
This contribution focuses on residues developing on spindle-whorls during spinning. Such a kind o... more This contribution focuses on residues developing on spindle-whorls during spinning. Such a kind of tools is largely diffused in archaeological contexts where spindle-whorls were used in textile activities or deposited in burials as grave goods. Scholars recently approached the analysis of these objects through experimental archaeology to better understand their wide variation in size and shape especially in relationship with the adoption of specific spinning techniques or the quality of the fibres processed for producing different kinds of yarn. The method presented here highlights the contribution of controlled experiments to identify and to study the formation of organic deposits on spindle-whorls after repeated and intentional use. Moreover, this article provides a preliminary reference collection of experimental residues combining different techniques of observation and different magnifications (Optical Light Microscopes - OLM and Scanning Electron Microscope - SEM) on ceramic replicas to address the residues investigation on textile tools in archaeological contexts.
Studying craft specialisation in archaeology involves investigating and reconstructing how produc... more Studying craft specialisation in archaeology involves investigating and reconstructing how production was or-ganised. This article focuses on prehistoric communities and asks who performed specific tasks. Ceramic spe-cialisation is traditionally approached through models of production organisation that are largely based on ethnoarchaeological case studies and are usually difficult to link with the archaeological evidence. Based on these models, the economic framework plays a key role in associating the emergence of specialisation with the intensification of the demand for goods and identifying specialists by the amount of time required for production. This approach neglects the social value of products and the social context sustaining skills development. This article discusses surface treatments as a means to understand the skills of potters and the social values of specific ceramic products in Copper Age communities from central Italy. The methodology combines the analysis of technological traces and experimental archaeology used to infer craftspeople's expertise and reveals differences in the chaîne opératoire and skills involved in the production of domestic and funerary vessels. The results support a hypothesis of household specialisation that developed in these communities based upon differences in skills, knowledge and dedication among potters and the recurrent association of skilled productions with ritual contexts.
A B S T R A C T This contribution discusses the results of an integrated approach of use wear ana... more A B S T R A C T This contribution discusses the results of an integrated approach of use wear analysis, spectroscopic analysis and experimental archaeology, applied for the investigation of the actual use of selected ceramic vessels, taken from domestic Copper Age contexts in the modern Rome area. This study is based upon the consideration of a vessel as a tool, used during everyday life and thus reflecting human activities and social behaviours. To this end, the paper here presented proposes an interpretation of the actual use activities which led to the modification of prehistoric vessels. The methodology of this study integrates the traditional approach to ceramic use wear studies, based on experimental and ethnoarchaeological studies, with principles of tribology, along with the application of a dedicated experimental framework which enabled the development of a detailed collection of comparative use wear. Moreover, the application of spec-troscopic analysis provided preliminary data related to the charred encrustations found inside the archaeological specimens. These data, when combined with use wear, palaeobotanical remains and archaeological preserved structures, aided interpretation of the archaeological ceramic vessels as cooking pots.
This paper presents the preliminary results of an
analytical study on domestic pottery samples or... more This paper presents the preliminary results of an analytical study on domestic pottery samples originating from the Copper Age sites of Casetta Mistici, Tor Pagnotta, Osteria del Curato-Via Cinquefrondi, Torre della Chiesaccia and Valle dei Morti, all of which are located in the Rome area (Latium, Italy). The aim of this research is to define the compositional features of the ceramic pastes and to reconstruct the main technological choices characterising pottery production in these contexts. The importance of these archaeological sites lies in their geographic position, being located in an area bounded by the Tiber and Aniene rivers and the Colli Albani volcano, and in their stratigraphic sequence, spanning from the midfourth to the end of the third millennium BC. This research, based on a petrographic and chemical investigation of pottery samples, led to the distinction of eight petrographic groups that reflect specific choices in pottery production. Moreover, the analytical results provide indications about the prehistoric pottery production of the Rome area in relation to the ceramic recipes used, the pastes that were obtained and their sourcing areas.
The most interesting feature of the Chalcolithic village of Maccarese
(Fiumicino, Italy) is the ... more The most interesting feature of the Chalcolithic village of Maccarese
(Fiumicino, Italy) is the high quantity of pottery unearthed from the living
floor. Through archaeometric analyses it has been possible to define the
chemical and physical features of the pottery, determining the raw material
provenance (Manfredini 2002). In this work, an experimental approach has
been integrated with macrowear analysis to define vessel production
techniques in more detail. This kind of approach, combining the
experimental production of vessels with a macroscopic analysis of the
technological traces, is yet not so widespread in the investigation of
pottery technology, which is generally studied through ethnographic
parallels. The aims of this research are multiple: a definition of the
technological characters of the local clay, reconstruction of the modelling
techniques and the tools used in pottery manufacturing processes, and
definition of techniques and tools exploited for the treatment of the
vessels’ surfaces. The analysis of the technological macrotraces visible on
the surfaces was recorded through the use of an appropriate database,
which has permitted the comparison between the traces present on the
experimental objects and the one observed on the archaeological materials.
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Papers by Vanessa Forte
preserve traces of the maker’s gestures. The scope of the article is to reconstruct the different manufacturing steps
of clay figurines, assess the complexity of the shaping sequences and study fingerprints to trace the profile of
people who produced such artefacts in the ancient village of Lahun (Egypt, MBA II, c. 1800–1700 BC). The high
number of production chains revealed that, despite an apparent roughness, clay figurine production was characterised
by high stylistic and technological variability, indicating several levels of skill possessed by their
producers. On this basis, Lahun clay figurines were not an extemporary or standardised product. A neat division
can be established between anthropomorphic figurines and those representing animals, which show a lower
degree of complexity and an attempt not to define clear shapes. Most of the figurines were revealed to be mainly
shaped by adults, while children contributed in a marginal way to their production. However, the presence of
sub-adult fingerprints on some of the clay figurines indicates that children were active agents producing material
culture and integrating part of the adult production process through cooperation and/or playing.
The social role of craftspeople in these groups is analysed through a series of aspects that directly and indirectly reflect craft behaviour, such as: technological choices in production, the skill required in specific manufacturing processes and the actual level of skill inferred from the ceramic evidence analysed. The methodological approach presented in this paper combines learning theories with a detailed empirical investigation of the potter’s gesture. Data provided by traceological analyses, focusing on manufacturing traces and use wear, compositional analyses of ceramic pastes (petrographic and chemical analyses) and experimental archaeology (reproduction of pottery modelling sequences and ceramic use activities) are interpreted in a wider framework considering also the social value of the craft product. Empirical results revealed specific behaviour patterns in production and use, suggesting different and coexistent degrees of experience and knowledge within domestic production and a higher level of skill and time dedication for shapes used on funerary occasions. This leads to the question of whether the producers of goods were also always the consumers, within contexts where social inequality is perceived as incipient and the role of artisans is better understood if discussed according to usually underestimated aspects such as the skills of craftspeople, the presence of a supportive learning environment and the social value of the ceramic product.
In this framework, the gap between the original ancient contexts and their traces, along with the impos-sibility to understand some behaviours lead scholars to use the word facies. The concept of facies, introduced in Italian late prehistoric archaeology, is based on the actual representation of ancient evidence and refers to the archaeological data as a configuration resulting from a mostly casual assemblage of remains grouped on the base of the chronological and geographical distribution of formal styles of specific artefacts (e.g. pottery). This concept has been used for a long time as a synonym of “culture”. The identification of a formal style on a large territory can reflect communication mechanisms between communities through the mov-ing of people and objects but, as demonstrated by eth-noarchaeological and anthropological studies, it does not properly reflect cultural identities.
This contribution aims to discuss how techno-logical behaviours and technical styles of pottery can contribute to highlight patterns of cultural and social identity supported by the conservation of automatic human behaviours, named motor habits. These latter, acquired during the first stages of an individual’s life, are hard to change and can be reconstructed studying the recurrence of specific clay recipes and technologi-cal traces. However, they can be modified leading to the development of new gestures/habits, if a person, or an entire group, comes in contact with other commu-nities for a conspicuous amount of time. Thus, vessels similar in shape can be produced in completely different ways, as technical styles can be socially acquired and traditionally transmitted, revealing a high variability within an apparent stylistic homogeneity. The applica-tion of a traceological approach to analyse archaeolog-ical materials, integrated with scientific analyses of ceramic pastes and controlled experiments on manu-facturing techniques and their technological traces leads to identify groups sharing social behaviours. The copper age pottery production of the Rome area, pre-sented here as a case study, suggests how the identifi-cation of intentionally transmitted technical styles not always reflects the wider homogeneity due to a circulation of vessel shapes in a territory. Although the case study discussed here has a different chronology and socio-economic organisation if compared to the Bronze Age scenario, featured by a strongly established use of the concept of facies, it suggests the potentialities to analyse and reconstruct the relationships between technology and identity for a better understanding of ancient groups.
Establishing the actual functional activities performed in such a unique type of vessel is important not only for understanding the social behaviors of the Lower Egyptian Predynastic communities and the dynamics related to the diffusion of such basins, but it also provides a new methodological framework for Egyptian Predynastic studies.
analytical study on domestic pottery samples originating from
the Copper Age sites of Casetta Mistici, Tor Pagnotta, Osteria
del Curato-Via Cinquefrondi, Torre della Chiesaccia and Valle
dei Morti, all of which are located in the Rome area (Latium,
Italy). The aim of this research is to define the compositional
features of the ceramic pastes and to reconstruct the main
technological choices characterising pottery production in these
contexts. The importance of these archaeological sites lies
in their geographic position, being located in an area bounded
by the Tiber and Aniene rivers and the Colli Albani volcano,
and in their stratigraphic sequence, spanning from the midfourth
to the end of the third millennium BC. This research,
based on a petrographic and chemical investigation of pottery
samples, led to the distinction of eight petrographic groups
that reflect specific choices in pottery production. Moreover,
the analytical results provide indications about the prehistoric
pottery production of the Rome area in relation to the ceramic
recipes used, the pastes that were obtained and their sourcing
areas.
(Fiumicino, Italy) is the high quantity of pottery unearthed from the living
floor. Through archaeometric analyses it has been possible to define the
chemical and physical features of the pottery, determining the raw material
provenance (Manfredini 2002). In this work, an experimental approach has
been integrated with macrowear analysis to define vessel production
techniques in more detail. This kind of approach, combining the
experimental production of vessels with a macroscopic analysis of the
technological traces, is yet not so widespread in the investigation of
pottery technology, which is generally studied through ethnographic
parallels. The aims of this research are multiple: a definition of the
technological characters of the local clay, reconstruction of the modelling
techniques and the tools used in pottery manufacturing processes, and
definition of techniques and tools exploited for the treatment of the
vessels’ surfaces. The analysis of the technological macrotraces visible on
the surfaces was recorded through the use of an appropriate database,
which has permitted the comparison between the traces present on the
experimental objects and the one observed on the archaeological materials.