Brunissage, polissage et degrés de séchage

Abstract

As a great many technical operations are involved in the creation of pottery, it is often difficult to discover precisely in what order they were used in the "chaînes opératoires". The determination of the state of drying is an essential step in rediscovering the archaeological chaîne opératoire. An experimental method is developed to identify burnishing and polishing techniques. The states of drying can be identified by the study of experimental trace types and surface aspects. Precise differenciation on archaeological sherds between burnishing and polishing techniques then becomes possible. The development of this method for other techniques will undoubtedly increase the quality and precision of our knowledge of the chaînes opératoires that we seek to reconstruct.