A Biography of Ceramics: Food and Culture in Late Neolithic Orkney

Jones, Andrew Meirion (1997) A Biography of Ceramics: Food and Culture in Late Neolithic Orkney. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This study comprises an examination of the relationship between material culture and social identity. The relationship is explored through a study of the social practices concerning the production, use and deposition of a particular class of pottery; Late Neolithic Grooved ware. The examination of these issues required a detailed contextual study of the Grooved ware from a single site; Bamhouse, Mainland, Orkney. This contextual examination was integrated with two major forms of scientific analytical technique. The first, petrological thin-section analysis was carried out to determine the differences in the production and organisation of production of the pottery. The second, residue analysis, was carried out to determine the differences in use of different categories of pottery, providing a clearer understanding of the relationship between pottery categories and their use in the storage, cooking and consumption of different foodstuffs. An examination of the Grooved ware from Bamhouse found that there were a number of categories of Grooved ware produced and used at the site, these categories were demarcated by differences in volume, fabric and decoration as well as their relationship to certain foodstuffs and social practices. The biographies of each of these various categories of Grooved ware were examined from their production, through use to deposition. It was found that each had a differing biography which was shaped by their involvement in certain social practices. These social practices, it is argued, are related to the expression and representation of certain aspects of social identity.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Adviser: Colin Richards
• Keywords: Archaeology
• Date of Award: 1997
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1997-75274
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 19 Nov 2019 21:22
• Last Modified: 19 Nov 2019 21:22
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/75274