Studia Hercynia (Dec 2023)
Typologies of pottery kilns of the Iron Age. A critical review
Abstract
Approaching the pottery firing structures of the Iron Age involves dealing with a large and diverse amount of data that is difficult to disentangle. One of the most challenging aspects of studying pyro -technological evidence is the absence of a unified and valid typology and of a common vocabulary. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, various scholars, such as Duhamel, Swan, and Cuomo di Caprio, proposed typologies for pottery kilns based on different criteria. While their work is undoubtedly valuable, it does have limitations that need to be addressed, such as a neglect of the protohistoric/pre-Roman periods, and an excessive focus on the shapes of features rather than their actual functioning. Following their steps, many scholars attempted to expand and further explore issues related to ancient kilns, eventually including protohistoric evidence as well. Recent proposals have emerged (e.g. by Thér or Amicone et al.), and a significant revolutionary aspect is the development of a ‘functional’ typology that goes beyond traditional approaches primarily based on morphological features. Building upon new insights, this paper will present a discussion of the key features of the pottery kilns, trying to propose a unified terminology and a critical comparison of all the European typologies.
