Program on Ancient Technologies and Archaeological Materials at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ATAM is a Division of the Illinois Transportation Archaeological Research Program

Clay is a widely available, easily worked raw material that survives very well in its fired form. Many ancient cultures have made useful and decorative items such as pottery, figurines, building tiles, and burial containers that become important parts of the archaeological record.

Archaeologists study the occurrence of particular pottery types as chronological markers for different excavation levels, and the distribution of pottery as an indicator of trade and exchange between sites. Anthropologists are also interested in what pottery can tell us about ancient technology and human behavior. Who made the pottery? What was the social position of the potters? Did they produce pottery for family consumption, or for a broader market? What was the function of different forms, and how did function influence construction? How were religious beliefs and other aspects of culture incorporated into pottery form and decoration? What factors contributed to changes in ceramic styles over time?

The material aspects of clay and ceramic technology--the physical properties of clay and various construction and firing methods--can be investigated using archaeometric techniques. ATAM researchers have employed standard techniques such as X-ray radiography, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and neutron activation analysis (NAA) to study structure and composition . Our projects have included sourcing clays (provenance studies) to better understand patterns of manufacture and trade, determination of temper and firing temperature, investigation of the intersections between ceramic and metalworking technologies, and pre-conservation studies of museum artifacts.

	LAKE SHELBYVILLE PROJECT
	PALATINE EAST PROJECT
	BYZANTINE CERAMICS PROJECT
	GOLTEPE/KESTEL PROJECT

Renfrew, C. & Bahn, P. (1996). Archaeology: Theories, Methods, and Practice. New York: Thames and Hudson.

Rice, P. (1987). Pottery Analysis: A Sourcebook. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Copyright 1999. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.