Pottery production, function and meaning during the Bronze and Pre-Roman Iron Age in the Eastern Baltic

Abstract

Promocijas darba “Keramikas izgatavošana, pielietojums un nozīme bronzas un senākajā dzelzs laikmetā Austrumbaltijā” mērķis ir analizēt keramikas trauku izgatavošanu, pielietojumu un nozīmi, kā arī tās lomu Austrumbaltijas bronzas un senākā dzelzs laikmeta sabiedrībās. Lai sasniegtu šo mērķi tika izmantotas vairākas metodes – vizuālās un statistiskās analīzes, RTI, laboratorijas metodes – GC-MS, WD-XRF un keramikas petrogrāfija. Tika arī apzināti un atlasīti vietējo mālu paraugi. Tika noskaidrots, ka podniekiem bijis pieejams labas kvalitātes māls, tie izmantojuši ļoti plastisku vai attīrītu morēnmālu. Tika konstatētas astoņas māla masas receptes ar vairākām apakšgrupām. Par liesinātāju pārsvarā izmantoti granītiskie ieži, taču sastopama arī citi materiāli. Sākoties bronzas laikmetam aizvēstures kopienu uzskati par keramiku mainījās, tā kļuva vienkāršāka. Tika konstatētas keramikas veidu izmaiņas no agrā bronzas līdz senākajam dzelzs laikmetam. Savukārt, liesinātāju un recepšu izmaiņas tika konstatētas vien senākā dzelzs laikmeta beigās. Keramikai bija ne vien praktiska – ēdiena pagatavošanas un uzglabāšanas, nozīme, bet arī socio-ideoloģiska nozīme aizvēstures kopienās.

The aim of the PhD thesis “Pottery production, function and meaning during the Bronze and Pre-Roman Iron Age in the Eastern Baltic” is to analyze pottery production, function and meaning, and its role in the societies of Eastern Baltic Bronze and Pre-Roman Iron Age. Within the scope of the thesis, various methods were used to achieve this aim: visual and statistical analysis, RTI and laboratory methods – GC-MS, WD-XRF and ceramic petrography. The clays from regions near the living sites were also surveyed. It was ascertained that potters had access to good-quality clays and used highly plastic clays from glacial till, in some cases purified. Eight pottery fabrics, with subgroups, were distinguished. Mostly granitic rock temper was used; however, other materials were also distinguished. The perception of pottery changed during the Bronze Age, as it became less ornamented and simpler. The change of styles from the Early Bronze Age to the Pre-Roman Iron Age was traced in the visual appearance of the pottery; however, a change in tempering traditions was distinguished only at the end of the Pre-Roman Iron Age. Pottery vessels served not only a practical role, namely for cooking, storage and as tableware, but also a socio-ideological role.