Shaping a future of painting: the early Neolithic pottery from Dzhulyunitsa, North Central Bulgaria
This paper presents the somewhat unexpected findings of a preliminary archaeometric study of ‘painted’ early Neolithic pottery from the site of Dzhulyunitsa, north central Bulgaria. While there is still no consensus on the actual model of Neolithisation of this region, expectations are that there wo...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Bulgarian |
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Association of Bulgarian Archaeologists
2014-12-01
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| Series: | Българско е-Списание за Археология |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://be-ja.org/index.php/journal/article/view/108 |
| _version_ | 1818202951329513472 |
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| author | Tania Dzhanfezova Chris Doherty Nedko Elenski |
| author_facet | Tania Dzhanfezova Chris Doherty Nedko Elenski |
| author_sort | Tania Dzhanfezova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presents the somewhat unexpected findings of a preliminary archaeometric study of ‘painted’ early Neolithic pottery from the site of Dzhulyunitsa, north central Bulgaria. While there is still no consensus on the actual model of Neolithisation of this region, expectations are that there would have been a transfer of pottery technology and possible small quantities of painted pottery from the West Anatolian homeland to early Neolithic sites in Bulgaria. However, our findings confound these expectations. Pottery from the earliest levels of the site are all based on local materials: there are no imported wares. There is no evidence of the experimental phase that would be expected as migrant potters learned to adjust to local clays. Instead the pottery is of a very high quality from the outset, using naturally fine clays that do not require temper: though organic material is sometimes added, albeit often in non-functional quantities. What were thought to be dark-painted layers are shown to be simply the high-quality burnishes that can be developed using these micaceous local clays: in some cases with outer surfaces enhanced with ochre. White-slipped and white-on red decorated sherds from the second layer of the site continue to showcase a mastery of local materials, with white pigments base on nearby limestones and marls. But here, petrographic analysis identifies some white-painted wares which are clearly not local, with both bodies and paint compositions pointing to a different provenance and technology. As it continues, this project aims to establish the full range of Dzhulyunitsa pottery fabrics to reconstruct manufacturing technologies and raw material sourcing patterns, for comparison with contemporary sites across the region. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:17:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1f9e5b717e764273a93d5afbaea1b27a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1314-5088 |
| language | Bulgarian |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:17:36Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | Association of Bulgarian Archaeologists |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Българско е-Списание за Археология |
| spelling | doaj.art-1f9e5b717e764273a93d5afbaea1b27a2022-12-22T00:40:15ZbulAssociation of Bulgarian ArchaeologistsБългарско е-Списание за Археология1314-50882014-12-0142137159101Shaping a future of painting: the early Neolithic pottery from Dzhulyunitsa, North Central BulgariaTania Dzhanfezova0Chris Doherty1Nedko Elenski2Department of Archaeology, Faculty of History, St Cyril and St Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, 2 T. Turnovski str., 5003 Veliko TurnovoRLAHA, Oxford University, Dyson Perrins Building, South Parks Rd, OX1 3QYRegional Museum of History Veliko Tarnovo, 6 Nikola Pikolo str., 5000 Veliko TarnovoThis paper presents the somewhat unexpected findings of a preliminary archaeometric study of ‘painted’ early Neolithic pottery from the site of Dzhulyunitsa, north central Bulgaria. While there is still no consensus on the actual model of Neolithisation of this region, expectations are that there would have been a transfer of pottery technology and possible small quantities of painted pottery from the West Anatolian homeland to early Neolithic sites in Bulgaria. However, our findings confound these expectations. Pottery from the earliest levels of the site are all based on local materials: there are no imported wares. There is no evidence of the experimental phase that would be expected as migrant potters learned to adjust to local clays. Instead the pottery is of a very high quality from the outset, using naturally fine clays that do not require temper: though organic material is sometimes added, albeit often in non-functional quantities. What were thought to be dark-painted layers are shown to be simply the high-quality burnishes that can be developed using these micaceous local clays: in some cases with outer surfaces enhanced with ochre. White-slipped and white-on red decorated sherds from the second layer of the site continue to showcase a mastery of local materials, with white pigments base on nearby limestones and marls. But here, petrographic analysis identifies some white-painted wares which are clearly not local, with both bodies and paint compositions pointing to a different provenance and technology. As it continues, this project aims to establish the full range of Dzhulyunitsa pottery fabrics to reconstruct manufacturing technologies and raw material sourcing patterns, for comparison with contemporary sites across the region.https://be-ja.org/index.php/journal/article/view/108early neolithicpotterydzhulyunitsapetrographysemneolithisation |
| spellingShingle | Tania Dzhanfezova Chris Doherty Nedko Elenski Shaping a future of painting: the early Neolithic pottery from Dzhulyunitsa, North Central Bulgaria Българско е-Списание за Археология early neolithic pottery dzhulyunitsa petrography sem neolithisation |
| title | Shaping a future of painting: the early Neolithic pottery from Dzhulyunitsa, North Central Bulgaria |
| title_full | Shaping a future of painting: the early Neolithic pottery from Dzhulyunitsa, North Central Bulgaria |
| title_fullStr | Shaping a future of painting: the early Neolithic pottery from Dzhulyunitsa, North Central Bulgaria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Shaping a future of painting: the early Neolithic pottery from Dzhulyunitsa, North Central Bulgaria |
| title_short | Shaping a future of painting: the early Neolithic pottery from Dzhulyunitsa, North Central Bulgaria |
| title_sort | shaping a future of painting the early neolithic pottery from dzhulyunitsa north central bulgaria |
| topic | early neolithic pottery dzhulyunitsa petrography sem neolithisation |
| url | https://be-ja.org/index.php/journal/article/view/108 |
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