The introduction of ceramics in the Ertebølle Culture

Pottery production has long been viewed as an integrated part of the Neolithic package. Instances of ceramic production in hunter-gatherer contexts have been explained by influences from early farmers. This has also been the case for the ceramics of the Ertebølle Culture. Recently, however, the dis...

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Main Author: Karen Poulsen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Editorial Board of DJA 2013-11-01
Series:Danish Journal of Archaeology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/124974
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author Karen Poulsen
author_facet Karen Poulsen
author_sort Karen Poulsen
collection DOAJ
description Pottery production has long been viewed as an integrated part of the Neolithic package. Instances of ceramic production in hunter-gatherer contexts have been explained by influences from early farmers. This has also been the case for the ceramics of the Ertebølle Culture. Recently, however, the discussion has become more nuanced and alternative explanations have emerged. This article argues that a focus on the life cycle of the early ceramics as well as an understanding of technology transfer as a process of cultural transmission can potentially broaden the perspective on the uptake of ceramics technology by the hunter-gatherers of northern Europe. The chaîne opératoire of the Ertebølle ceramics is analysed and a model of how a technology moves from one social setting to another is presented. In the light of this work, different approaches to the introduction of ceramics in the western Baltic are discussed. It is argued that important elements of the Ertebølle pottery tradition came from the east via Baltic exchange networks. However, the tradition was not directly transferred, and important elements appear along the way. Whether some of these elements can be ascribed to agro-pastoralist groups in the south is still uncertain.
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spelling doaj.art-56a2d541a2624b9e95cef1cdbe0655c22023-11-18T01:03:51ZengEditorial Board of DJADanish Journal of Archaeology2166-22902013-11-01210.1080/21662282.2013.904127The introduction of ceramics in the Ertebølle CultureKaren Poulsen Pottery production has long been viewed as an integrated part of the Neolithic package. Instances of ceramic production in hunter-gatherer contexts have been explained by influences from early farmers. This has also been the case for the ceramics of the Ertebølle Culture. Recently, however, the discussion has become more nuanced and alternative explanations have emerged. This article argues that a focus on the life cycle of the early ceramics as well as an understanding of technology transfer as a process of cultural transmission can potentially broaden the perspective on the uptake of ceramics technology by the hunter-gatherers of northern Europe. The chaîne opératoire of the Ertebølle ceramics is analysed and a model of how a technology moves from one social setting to another is presented. In the light of this work, different approaches to the introduction of ceramics in the western Baltic are discussed. It is argued that important elements of the Ertebølle pottery tradition came from the east via Baltic exchange networks. However, the tradition was not directly transferred, and important elements appear along the way. Whether some of these elements can be ascribed to agro-pastoralist groups in the south is still uncertain. https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/124974mesolithicneolithisationearly ceramicsErtebølle Culturechaîne opératoiretechnological transmission
spellingShingle Karen Poulsen
The introduction of ceramics in the Ertebølle Culture
Danish Journal of Archaeology
mesolithic
neolithisation
early ceramics
Ertebølle Culture
chaîne opératoire
technological transmission
title The introduction of ceramics in the Ertebølle Culture
title_full The introduction of ceramics in the Ertebølle Culture
title_fullStr The introduction of ceramics in the Ertebølle Culture
title_full_unstemmed The introduction of ceramics in the Ertebølle Culture
title_short The introduction of ceramics in the Ertebølle Culture
title_sort introduction of ceramics in the ertebolle culture
topic mesolithic
neolithisation
early ceramics
Ertebølle Culture
chaîne opératoire
technological transmission
url https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/124974
work_keys_str_mv AT karenpoulsen theintroductionofceramicsintheertebølleculture
AT karenpoulsen introductionofceramicsintheertebølleculture