Physico-Chemical Study of Neolithic Pottery (Lower Amur Region, Suchu Settlement, Excavation Trench I, 1973)

V. E. Medvedev; I. V. Filatova

List of issues > «Geoarchaeology, Ethnology, and Anthropology Series». 2016. Vol. 18

Physico-Chemical Study of Neolithic Pottery (Lower Amur Region, Suchu Settlement, Excavation Trench I, 1973)

Full text (russian)

Author(s)

V. E. Medvedev, I. V. Filatova

Abstract

The article represents the results of physico-chemical analysis of the Neolithic pottery from the excavation trench I on Suchu Island (1973). With the help of petrography and radiography the fragments of vessels of Malyshevo and Kondon cultures, Belkachy cultures and chronological complex of Middle Neolithic, Voznesenovsk culture of late Neolithic, cultural and chronological type of final Neolithic were investigated. We traced the differences in choosing the clays and in the molding compositions, but their mineral structure is basically similar. X-ray analysis confirmed the data on the mineral composition in pottery obtained by petrography. As a result of studies we found a difference in the choice of the type of clay in the molding compositions of the Neolithic pottery of various cultural and chronological affiliation, but by its mineral composition the samples of different stages of the Neolithic era are largely similar. The last fact is the evidence of the continuity of the traditions of Neolithic population's pottery on Suchu Island. In the case of representatives of Malyshevo and Belkachy cultures we are talking about their quite probable, but short contact, which is also indicated by chronological and stratigraphic data. In the case of representatives of Voznesenovsk culture (creators of Final Neolithic pottery) — we talk about the possible mixing of the complexes, as evidenced, first of all the ornament. Subsequent comprehensive studies using traditional methods of archeology and natural sciences will clarify and supplement the information obtained.

Keywords

Lower Amur region, Suchu Island, Neolithic, pottery complexes, physico-chemical studies, petrography, radiography

UDC

903.023

References

Derevyanko A. P., Medvedev V. E. K tridtsatiletiyu nachala statsionarnykh issledovanii na ostrove Suchu (nekotorye itogi) [For the thirtieth anniversary of the beginning of stationary research on the Suchu Island (some results)]. Istoriya i kultura Vostoka Azii: materialy mezhdunarodnoi nauchnoi konferentsii [History and Culture of East Asia: materials of International scientific conference]. Novosibirsk, IAET SB RAS Publ., 2002, Vol. 2, pp. 53–66. (In Russ.)

Drebushchak V. A., Mylnikova L. N., Drebushchak T. A., Boldyrev V. V., Molodin V. I., Derevyanko E. I., Mylnikov V. P., Nartova A. V. Fiziko-khimicheskoe issledovanie keramiki (na primere izdelii perekhodnogo vremeni ot bronzovogo k zheleznomu veku) [Physic-chemical study of ceramics (for example products of the transition time from Bronze to Iron Age)]. Integratsionnye proekty SO RAN [Integration projects SB RAS]. Novosibirsk, SB RAS Publ., 2006, Is. 6, 98 p. (In Russ.)

Maggetti M. Phase Analysis and its Significance for Technology and Origin. Archaeological Ceramics. Washington, Smithsonian Institution Publ., 1982, pp. 121–133.

Medvedev V. E., Filatova I. V. Rezultaty petrograficheskogo analiza keramiki rannego kompleksa malyshevskoi neoliticheskoi kultury (Nizhnee Priamurie) [The results of petrographic analysis of the ceramics of the early complex of the Malyshevo Neolithic culture (Lower Amur region)]. Izvestiya Irkutskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya Geoarkheologiya. Etnologiya. Antropologiya [Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Geoarchaeology. Ethnology. Anthropology]. 2015, Vol. 13, pp. 26–38. (In Russ.)

Okladnikov A. P., Medvedev V. E., Filatova I. V. Pervye statsionarnye issledovaniya s polucheniem radiouglerodnykh dat na ostrove Suchu (1972 g.) [The first stationary research with obtaining radiocarbon dates on the Suchu Island (1972)]. Arkheologiya, etnografiya i antropologiya Evrazii [Archaeology, Ethnography and Anthropology of Eurasia]. 2015, Vol. 43, Is. 3, pp. 50–63. (In Russ.)

Orton Cl., Hughes M. Pottery in Archaeology. Cambridge University Press, 2013, 340 p. (Cambridge manuals in archaeology).

Quinn P., Burton M. Ceramics Petrography & The;Reconstruction of Hunter-Gatherer Craft Technology in Late Prehistoric Southern California. Interpreting Silent Artifacts: Petrographic Approaches to Archaeological Ceramics. Oxford, Archaeopress, 2009, pp. 267–296.

Shevkomud I. Ya., Kuzmin Ya. V. Khronologiya kamennogo veka Nizhnego Priamuriya (Dalnii Vostok Rossii) [The chronology of the Stone Age of the Lower Amur region (Far East of Russia)]. Kulturnaya khronologiya i drugie problemy v issledovaniyakh drevnostei vostoka Azii [Cultural chronology and other problems in the research of antiquities of East Asia]. Khabarovsk, Khabarovsk Regional Museum Publ., 2009, pp. 7–46. (In Russ.)

Zhushchikhovskaya I. S. Petrografiya v izuchenii drevnei keramiki Dalnego Vostoka: voprosy metodiki [Petrography in the study of ancient ceramics of the Far East: questions of methodology]. Aktualnye problemy arkheologii Sibiri i Dalnego Vostoka [Actual problems of Archaeology of Siberia and the Far East]. Ussuriysk, Ussuriysk State Pedagogical University Publ., 2011, pp. 72–81. (In Russ.)