Content:
In this session we want to go beyond the very important function of prehistoric pottery for chrono-typological and cultural differentiation as the common praxis in archaeology, and take a closer look at the vessel biography including its whole lifespan from the production to the final deposition and at its large implications for the understanding of prehistoric domestic lifeways. We aim at gathering researchers working on various aspects of prehistoric pottery to discuss its production, use and discard in reference to the domestic sphere as a key to understand social life in prehistory. We want to address research methods and discuss how we can recognise different stages of production and uses within houses and settlement structures. We also intend to discuss various interpretations: where is the pottery production happening and who is producing it within or beyond the domestic sphere? Who used the pottery and how producers and users related to each other? Is there a difference between the intended meaning and the different social values of pottery? Does pottery social value change over time? Conversely, we want to consider which implications these topics have for the typological analysis of pottery and its interpretation.
We welcome contributions focusing on the following issues:
1. The production and the producers of pottery,
2. The different “uses” and the multiple ways of functioning of pottery (from intention to praxis),
3. The many cycles of vessels and the many lives of pottery (from vessel to sherd),
4. Fragmentation and its different meanings,
5. Repairing and refunctioning of vessels – the value of pottery,
6. The ultimate abandonment of pottery.