Heritage Science (Nov 2019)

Looking beyond appearances: a multi-analytical approach on the prehistoric clay weights

  • Bogdan Manea,
  • Mircea Lechintan,
  • Gabriel Popescu,
  • Theodor Ignat,
  • Vasile Opriş,
  • Florin Constantin,
  • Mădălina Dimache,
  • Valentin Parnic,
  • Roxana Bugoi,
  • Cătălin Lazăr

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-019-0326-2
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 20

Abstract

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Abstract In this paper we analyzed a batch of 64 clay weights from three archaeological sites located in Romania (Gumelniţa, Măgura-Jilava, and Sultana) that belong to Kodjadermen-Gumelniţa-Karanovo VI cultural complex (4600–3900 cal. BC). Our approach includes an interdisciplinary investigation based on technological analysis, experimental archaeology, and X-ray CT scans coupled with statistical analysis. This investigation has a high potential to reveal relevant information regarding the technological background (e.g., inclusion, voids, temper, etc.), manufacturing stages (e.g., modeling, shaping, kneading, etc.), or transformation processes (e.g., drying and firing vs. weight and size modification) in order to identify, explain and understand the chaîne operatoire for this type of artefacts. Moreover, correlation of the results with the experimental archaeology could offer an integrative interpretation about the material culture of past humans and its multiple meanings, but also critical information about the multiple dimensions of manufacture for these objects (e.g., time, effort, physical–chemical processes, etc.). The multi-analytical approach proposed here also includes a comparative study of technological aspects of these clay weights across the three archaeological sites investigated, as well as the experimental replicas.

Keywords