Pottery studies

The influence of tempering and firing practices on the fracture strength and fracture energy of traditional pottery is presented, focusing on the mechanical behaviour of low-calcareous ceramics and how it compares to that of comparable calcareous ceramics. Material tests on experimentalbriquettes show that the measured increase in fracture strength upon firing is linked to the degree of vitrification in the ceramic matrix and to the development of porosity. The addition of aplastic inclusions reduces fracture strength, with platy temper affecting strength levels to a lesser degree.In earthenware, high fracture energy can normally be obtained by adding high amounts of aplastic inclusions as temper. While the fracture energyof granite-tempered ceramics remains approximately constant at high firing temperatures, for phyllite-tempered materials maximum values are found at intermediate temperatures. Regarding archaeological ceramics, the data presented here are anticipated to contribute to our understanding of technological choices in their manufacture.

Кожин П.М. (Москва, Институт Дальнего Востока РАН) Палагута И.В. (Санкт-Петербург, Санкт-Петербургская Художественнопромышленная академия им. А.Л. Штиглица) Линейно-ленточная керамика: технологии изготовления и орнаментация Культура линейно-ленточной керамики (КЛЛК)ключ к пониманию процессов культурогенеза, протекавших в неолите в Западной, Центральной и Восточной Европе КАРТА Ареал КЛЛК (по A. Czekaj-Zastawny 2008) Незвиско

Analysis was performed on absorbed and visible residues from 21 New York State prehistoric pottery sherds dating from 2905 ± 35 bp (Intcal04) (1256–998 cal bc) to 425 ± 40 bp (Intcal04) (1417–1626 cal ad). The use of pine resin was detected in 10 of 12 absorbed residue samples and 11 of 17 sherds subjected to visible residue analysis. It seems likely that the pots were resin-sealed to make them more impermeable, constituting the first chemical evidence of extensive resin-sealing in North America. A comparison of the results of absorbed and visible residues from eight of the sherds indicates that the two kinds of residue provide complementary evidence of vessel use.

The multi-segmented stronghold in Tarnawa Rzepińska is located approximately 2 km north of the village Tarnawa Rzepińska and approximately 5.5 km east of Rzepin. Using the physical and geographical division of Poland, it can be located in the physical and geographical mesoregion of the Torzymska Plain, previously known as the Rzepińska Plain. The site was located on a three-apex keme, occupying the eastern, highest and steepest kem hill.
The main segment of the hillfort, with external dimensions of about 100 × 66 m, is located in the eastern part of the hill. The courtyard, circa 70 × 30 m, is lowered in relation to the top part of well-preserved walls by about 1 m. The relics of the fortifications from the outer base are 8 to 9 m high. In the western part, a clear gap is visible in the wall, which may be a trace of the gate. On the west side, the oval stronghold is adjoined by two horseshoe-shaped sections with an area of 0.5-0.6 ha each. There are probably traces of gates visible in both of them, on the axis. In total, all these elements of the stronghold cover an area of approximately 1.9 ha.
The hillfort was already known in the pre-war period as a stronghold in Rypine or Poleńsk (German Pollenzig). The information included in the Zeitschrift für Ethnologie from 1897, indicate that during the research carried out at that time, fragments of pottery, animal bones and stone axes were discovered there. The research in the post-war period was carried out only in 1957 (surface survey by Wojciech Śmigielski, and excavations were carried out in June and at the beginning of July, 1966. They were conducted by Edward Dąbrowski on behalf of the Lubusz Museum in Zielona Góra. At that time only one trench was made (clearly visible on the Digital Terrain Model) and three small test trenches. Later, only surface surveys were carried out in the settlement, led by Adam Kołodziejski (in 1973) and Andrzej Marcinkian (in 1982). In 2019, as part of the project financed by National Institute of Heritage and the Friends of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, a non-invasive research was carried out, which mainly covered the northern part of the hillfort. In 2020, surface resistivity sounding survey was continued in the southern part of the site. In 2019-2020, detailed research related to the reconstruction of the natural environment in the Early Middle Ages was also carried out.
Not much space has been devoted to the stronghold in Tarnawa Rzepińska in the literature so far. Apart from the pre-war mentions briefly discussed above, the most information was collected in the last volume of Studies and Materials for the Settlement of Early Historical Greater Poland. On the basis of a preliminary analysis of the pottery, it was determined that the stronghold functioned in phases B and C of the Early Middle Ages.
During this two-year project, detailed analyzes concerning the reconstruction of the original natural environment (palynological, geomorphological and zooarchaeological analyzes) were carried out, including also detailed geophysical surveys and elaboration of the results of excavations conducted in 1966, which resulted in the discovery of several features and a collection of over 4,000 pottery fragments. Ceramics was analyzed with using interdisciplinary research model, as in addition to the classic macroscopic analysis of pottery fragments, specialist analyzes were performed – petrographic and chemical.
Palynological analyzes
Studies on the reconstruction of the former environment showed that the natural vegetation in the vicinity of the site in Tarnawa Rzepińska was composed of forest communities. They had the character of multi-species deciduous ecosystems or with the dominance of one taxon. A number of deciduous plant communities were associated with water reservoirs. There were riparian forests in the river valley, and alders developed in oxbow lakes and in flooded areas.
Zooarchaeological analyzes
The examined sample of animal remains made it possible to obtain another set of zooarchaeological data from the so-called borderland of Greater Poland-Lubusz in the pre-Piast period. It is however one of the less numerous, among those studied so far. Hence, the set of information obtained from it is also very small. It seems that only the list of fauna and the number of remains of individual taxa can be a reliable basis for reflection on some features of the principles of animal management.
Geophisical surveys
Due to the fact that the entire area of the stronghold (three segments) could have played residential role and traces of houses, invisible on the surface, could be preserved, in order to study the structure of the fortifications, it was decided to conduct non-invasive research using three geophysical methods: magnetic, electrical resistivity and radar. The use of three methods resulted from the repeatedly confirmed observation that the integration of the results of several geophysical methods gives a much larger amount of information than only in the case of using a single method.
Summarizing the results of the geophysical prospecting, it should be stated that despite the relatively good condition of the site, none of the methods used allowed to register traces of regular structures within the suburbiums and acropolis. Considering the highest part of the site (“acropolis”), magnetic studies have shown the existence of a settlement episode, most likely related to the modern stage of history. Within the highest part of the site, anomalies have been documented, which may suggest the existence of additional fortifications at the tops of the embankments surrounding this part, and in their external coatings. A similar situation was also observed in the area of the first and second suburbiums. In addition, the presence of fortifications beyond the defense system visible in the LiDAR imaging was detected using the magnetic and electrical resistivity methods. An interesting feature is also a negative magnetic anomaly with a circular outline, located in the western part of the second borough. Directly next to it, on the west side, two anomalies were also found, which may be the remains of a wooden gate. The northern one of these anomalies is reflected in a higher-resistance structure recorded at the same location.
It should be borne in mind that not all archaeological features may be manifested in the image resulting from geophysical research. For this reason, the interpretation of the lack of internal structures should be treated with appropriate caution. Similarly, interpretations regarding fortifications and the remains of a possible gate require verification in test trenches or archaeological coring.
Analysis of pottery
Research carried out in 1966 resulted in the discovery of over 4,000 pottery fragments. Fragments of the vessels predominate (4,072 shards: 382 rims, 3,572 bellies and 118 base parts), but also 59 construction daub and 37 fragments of the so-called prażnice – clay roasting pans, were discovered. The records in the field inventory show that two fragments of clay spindle whorls were also found, but now these items should be considered lost.
During the analysis the pottery finds, I consciously gave up of considering such elements as: macroscopic determination of the type and amount of the temper and the method of firing. These features were discussed before by Piotr Gunia in separate chapters of this publication. 331 taxonomic units (hereinafter units) were analyzed in detail, including 9 units which were examined with using specialized analyzes. The use of methods taken from the natural sciences made it possible to compare the obtained research results with the results of similar analyzes carried out for over 600 samples of early medieval pottery from the Mid-Odra river area. Macroscopic analyzes were performed on the following features of the vessels: the morphological type of the fragment, walls thickness, diameter of the rim and base, texture and degree of alignment of both surfaces, traces related to the structure of the vessel (various impressions, traces of kneading and joining of clay tapes, smoothing and traces of coting). The final stage of the macroscopic analysis was to determine the type of rim, the base, assigning the vessel to a specific family of form types and the methods of decoration.
Almost 70% of units was ornamented. The motifs from group II, type IV and IX, characteristic for the Menkendorf pottery, were the most numerous. Fragments of pottery of the Feldberg Type were noted sporadically. There are no fragments that can be connected with the Tornow Type.

От ремесла к искусству. Керамика: технология, декор, стиль.
Тезисы докладов Международной научно-практической конференции 22–25 мая 2018 года, Санкт-Петербург. Науч. ред. Т.В. Горбунова, И.В. Палагута, Е.Г. Старкова, С.Е. Сухарев. Санкт-Петербург: СПГХПА им. А.Л. Штиглица, 2018. 144 с.
В сборнике представлены тезисы докладов Международной научно-практической конференции «От ремесла к искусству. Керамика: технология, декор, стиль», посвященной проблемам взаимодействия науки и практики, применения результатов научных исследований керамики, проведенных в рамках широкого спектра гуманитарных и естественных наук, в практической деятельности художников в области декоративно-прикладного искусства