Pottery Firing in the Early Iron Age in Western Slovenia

Manca Vinazza; Matej Dolenec

doi:10.4312/dp.49.20

Authors

Manca Vinazza University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Department of Archaeology, Slovenia
Matej Dolenec University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Geology, Slovenia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4312/dp.49.20

Keywords:

pottery, firing process, experimental archaeology, pottery kiln, ceramic technology, apparent magnetic susceptibility AMS, X-ray diffraction XRD, Early Iron Age, Kras, Slovenia

Abstract

The article discusses the possible use of kilns for the firing of pottery in western Slovenia during the Early Iron Age. In the absence of archaeologically attested kilns, their use in this area is studied based on indirect factors, i.e. the analysis of the vessel firing technique, and with the help of experiments from the field of experimental archaeology. The article strives to determine the reasons for the poor state of preservation of the kilns in the area in question. Samples from archaeological experiments and archaeological pottery were subjected to AMS measurements, petrographic and mineralogical analyses (X-ray diffraction), which revealed the importance of considering the soaking time as a criterion for observing the firing processes and use of single-chamber kilns for the firing of pottery, even if they have not yet been discovered.