Technology

Key Debate 2: How did pre-existing technological knowledge influence the emergence of metallurgy? 

Advances in pottery firing technology are commonly mentioned precursors of metallurgical pyrotechnology, especially as the development of metallurgy in the Balkans is broadly paralleled by the emergence of black burnished pottery and graphite painting decoration (Renfrew 1969; Gimbutas 1976). In that respect, the exact control of firing conditions that was needed for these techniques is generally seen as an important indicator for the awareness among Vinča potters of certain ceramic thermal properties (Kaiser and Voytek 1983; Kaiser 1986; Goleanu et al. 2005).

The relationship between pottery and metal production in Vinča culture will be explored through a PhD undertaken by Silvia Amicone under the supervision of Prof Thilo Rehren, together with Dr Patrick Quinn (ceramic petrography) and Dr Miljana Radivojević (archaeology).

This PhD research aims to test the validity of this claim through the application of different analytical methods, tracing technological links between the two pyrotechnologies in the Vinča culture. Moreover, this includes the reconstruction of the locations and types of raw material sources that were used as well as the specific production steps involved.

To do this, Silvia will apply several methods, including thin section petrography, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) to selected samples originating from ceramic assemblages from Belovode and Pločnik, two early 5th millennium BC sites in Serbia, where the earliest known metallurgical activities developed.

Particular emphasis will be placed on the black burnished pottery; however, for an unbiased assessment of the relevant evidence, a representative selection of all types of pottery fabrics will be sampled and studied in detail. It is expected that this analysis will enable us to substantially support or refute the proposed technological relationship between pottery firing and the invention of extractive metallurgy.

Furthermore, this project combines archaeological and scientific information within an integrated programme of research under a cross-craft prospective (Miller 2007). This could not only contribute to shed new light on the validity of the claim which sees a connection between pottery firing and the invention of extractive metallurgy, but will also allow a better understanding of the broad technological and social context of Vinča culture.