Collections of Clay Products From a Palaeoethnobotanical Point of View

The basis of the study is the work of N. M. Kravchenko and G. O. Pashkevych in 1985 with the addition of the author’s observations. The author analyzed options for the penetration of palaeoethnobotanical materials into the moulding compound as well as their value for interpreting these findings. The reasons for penetration of materials to molding compound, groups of clay products and their informative value, advantages and disadvantages of this method of information gathering and further perspectives of research and interpretation were reviewed. Plant impurities were found in most categories of clay products. Conventionally they include utensils, probable architectural details and / or «stationary» utensils, tools as well as figurines, and other products that have no practical application. According to the scheme proposed by N. M. Kravchenko and G. O. Pashkevych four factors of the penetration of plant residues into the molding compound were identified. Factor 4 «The use of vegetable impurities as a backing between the stand and the crude billet of clay product (pot, vessel)» is of the less informative value. Its value could lie in the possibility to establish the season of manufacturing of pottery due to the backing. Factor 2 «Adding grain to a molding compound for ritual purpose» now can be significantly expanded due to ordinary household items, such as large pots for grain storage, firepans / pans and even furnaces. Factor 1 «Technological technique, in which crushed plant mass was added to reduce shrinkage of products during their drying and firing» also usually does not add information about palaeoethnobotanical materials. The only factor important for statistical surveys and the establishment of the grain economy is factor 3 «Accidental ingress of grains or seeds into the molding compound during the manufacture of pottery»

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