Typology
The Ceramic Technologies Digital Library (CTDL) is a digital library for the classification and cultural analysis of historic ceramic technologies from Central Europe, particularly the Germania-Slavica area, for the Middle Age period (ca. AD 600 – 1400). Its goal is, therefore, to gather data on ceramics AND classify them according to existing typological criteria. There will be, however, the possibility to create new taxonomies based on precise laser scanning, symmetry measurements, and stylistic features.
Ceramics are usually presented under different classifications called typologies that have been defined for certain regions and are comprehensive within those areas. Typologies are developed based on archaeological artifacts and ethnographic studies (if available). The CTDL digital library uses regional classificatory systems such as that based on E. Schuldt’s (1954) and Losinski’s (1989) typological taxonomies (.pdf) and will examine the adequacy of such taxonomies for the wider European distribution area. Schuldt's taxonomy is based on names given after the discovery places, while Losinski preferred the more abstract category of 'families' of ceramics. In general, these two taxonomies are used in Germany and Poland, and they correspond as follows
One benefit of the CTDL online database will be the development of a framework for better concordance among regional chronological scales that rely mostly on relative chronology, but also a correlation between asymmetrical chronologies (i.e. relative chronology vs. absolute chronology). The information can be used by specialists (archaeologists, historians, linguists, ethnographers, etc.) in their quests for answers pertaining to social structures and technological processes, and also by the public at large.
The Slavic ceramics are a challenging domain of classification, because they display technologically
- both firing methods of production: reduction and oxidation
- both decorated and undecorated ceramic types
- both handmade and wheel-made pottery
This situation led to the use of FORM and DECORATION as the only major diagnostic features upon which all taxonomies are based. Here is an example showing how the ceramic artifacts excavated at the Slavic princiary stronghold were classified chronologically. However, as Kempke (2001) has already remarked, classification based only on form and decoration is not sufficient, especially when the analytic goal is set at the supra-regional level. In order to compensate for that, modern archaeology bases its chronological inferences not only on the presence/absence of certain forms and decoration, but also on data obtained by natural sciences (see also archaeometrics).
To conduct precise studies about ceramic technologies and effectively classify ceramics, the artefacts must be adequately VISUALIZED, DESCRIBED, and MEASURED. These tasks are carried out within the CTDL Project with the help of the latest 3D technology.
October 22, 2007
