MARKERS OF WHEEL-MADE POTTERY FORMING TECHNIQUES AT THE Viitenky BURIAL GROUND
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37445/adiu.2026.03.01Keywords:
production, technology, forming operation, markers, pottery, Chernyakhiv culture, Late Roman period.Abstract
The paper focuses on the reconstruction of the technological processes of wheel-made pottery production based on materials from the Viitenky burial ground. The study is based on 173 ceramic samples from burials 1—54, which include 48 intact vessels, 37 archaeologically complete vessels, and 88 fragmented pieces. The research relies on analyzing markers preserved on the surface and within the structure of the vessels, which reflect the sequence of forming operations. Both primary and secondary technological actions are considered, alongside the impact of firing, usage, and taphonomy on the preservation of technological markers. As a result of analyzing these features of the Viitenky ceramic assemblage, a number of markers were identified that allow for the interpretation of the forming process of the lower part (the blank) and the upper part of the vessel, additional surface treatment, removal from the potter’s wheel, and secondary forming processes. Most of the identified traces of forming operations have been previously identified, described, and interpreted by other researchers based on materials from sites in other territories and periods; however, some markers were identified as a result of analyzing material from the Viitenky archaeological complex. In this work, the markers are presented in the chronological sequence in which they could appear on the vessel — from forming the blank / lower part to additional processing and removal from the working surface before final drying. They are divided into the following groups: macro-and microrelief of surface, crack shape and the nature of item destruction, vessel profile, and the flow of clay masses in vertical and horizontal cross-sections. As a result of interpreting the technological markers, nine groups of vessels were identified, differing in the combination of forming techniques, the use of a potter’s wheel, tools, and secondary processing. The differences between the groups may reflect technological development, differing skill levels, or differences in the place of manufacture. The proposed system of technological markers and the approaches to their interpretation can be applied to the study of wheel-thrown pottery from other sites of the Chernyakhiv culture, opening up prospects for a comparative analysis of pottery traditions within different micro-regions and production centers. The study demonstrates the potential of technological analysis for reconstructing local traditions and the production structure of Chernyakhiv pottery.
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