Archaeology & Clay: Pottery Provides Clues.When people abandon a place where they live, work, worship, or play, they usually leave objects behind. Through the discovery and study of tools, household items, religious objects, toys, even garbage, archaeologists piece together clues that help tell the story about a culture. Archaeology is the study of civilizations thousands of years old or people of today. Because clay pottery has been made by many cultures all over the world, and because it lasts a long time without disintegrating, pieces of pottery often provide important information at an archaeological dig. Clay has been used throughout the ages, especially for food storage and cooking. Clay vessels even provided a kind of refrigeration refrigeration, process for drawing heat from substances to lower their temperature, often for purposes of preservation. Refrigeration in its modern, portable form also depends on insulating materials that are thin yet effective. : porous porous /por·ous/ (por´us) penetrated by pores and open spaces. po·rous adj. 1. Full of or having pores. 2. Admitting the passage of gas or liquid through pores. clay allowed moisture to evaporate e·vap·o·rate v. 1. To convert or change into a vapor; volatilize. 2. To produce vapor. 3. To draw or pass off in the form of vapor. 4. and this kept the vessels' contents cool. Going Beyond Find out more about ancient clay pots from different cultures. Sketch some of the decorative elements you see that would help an archeologist Identify where and when a piece of pottery was made. RELATED ARTICLE: Dig Up Some Dirt Work in small groups. * Make up or choose a civilization that you are going to "discover." * Measure out a square foot area on a piece of cardboard. Draw a one inch grid in your square. This will be your "digging site." Archaeologists are very careful to document exactly where objects are found in relationship to one another. * Start with pieces of clay that measure one cubic inch Noun 1. cubic inch - the volume equal to a cube one inch on each side cu in capacity measure, capacity unit, cubage unit, cubature unit, cubic content unit, cubic measure, displacement unit, volume unit - a unit of measurement of volume or capacity . Each person can make one or more clay artifacts artifacts see specimen artifacts. that an archaeologist might discover (i.e. a cooking utensil, piece of jewelry jewelry, personal adornments worn for ornament or utility, to show rank or wealth, or to follow superstitious custom or fashion. The most universal forms of jewelry are the necklace, bracelet, ring, pin, and earring. , or tool). Use pinching, adding, and carving techniques. Does your piece have decorative details? Was it broken? Is its purpose mysterious? * Place your objects in the grid In the Grid is a game show that airs on UK broadcaster Five at 6.30pm week nights. It first aired on Monday 30 October 2006. In the Grid is hosted by Les Dennis and is produced by Initial West, one of the Endemol UK companies. . Write a story about your civilization and how the objects found were used. Who owned them? Were they special or for everyday use? Were they made there or used there? Were they bought or traded from somewhere else? Were they buried on purpose or lost or just left there? * Now go to the site of another group. If you were an archaeologist, what facts would you learn at this new dig? Compare what you think about this civilization with what the makers wrote in their story. Reproduction for classroom use permitted. |
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