Some Aspects of Research and Description Methods of the Early Iron Age Pottery in the Kama Basin Region

Abstract

In this article the basic methodological problems of Kama archaeology, related with the description and studying of pottery assemblages, are characterized. The algorithm and methods of the description of the ceramic items, allowing researchers to fix both individual elements of the pattern and motifs and ornamental compositions in their mutual combination, are offered. The basis of the typology of the features is based on geometric principles. The basis for the singling out of elementary particles – the elements of the pattern, geometric concepts are taken, that are reflected by terms: dot, line, segment. The motifs correspond to combinations of the simplest elements: individual geometric shapes (dot or line segment), can be arranged relative to each other in a certain order, make rows and lines. The form of the description of features in the form of a binary code allows using the data received in further analysis by methods of multivariate statistics.

Keywords

• archaeology
• ceramics
• study methodology
• pattern
• motif
• composition
• features
• statistical analysis