Dr. Anke Hein, Associate Professor of Chinese Archaeology, Oxford
Presented by the NYU Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW). Remote attendance free and open to public, but registration is required.
Abstract
“As they are ubiquitous in the material record, ceramics have long been a major concern of archaeological research. To gain further insight into processes of ceramic production and related socio-cultural issues, in many parts of the world has become common to refer to ethnographic data and conduct ethnoarchaeological studies. In Chinese archaeology, ceramic analysis is of crucial importance, too, but ethnoarchaeological explorations have so far been limited. Furthermore, neither in China nor in other parts of the world is it common to combine ethnographic research with scientific analyses of ceramic material both ancient and modern. This presentation suggests a new approach to research on ceramic production by combining four bodies of data: geographic background, archaeological finds, ethnoarchaeological work, and material analysis. Additionally, this paper suggests taking the engagement of modern potters with ancient ceramics into account and to explore the interplay between archaeological research and present-day potting practices. The case study chosen here is the painted pottery of northwest China which has long received much attention because of its high-level craftsmanship and aesthetic appeal, attracting archaeologists, art historians, modern potters, and the general public alike. This intricate interplay between past, present, and future, between archaeologists, potters, and modern-day consumers is fascinating to observe and be part of as it very forcibly reminds us how the past is (re)created in the present by a variety of actors constantly posing the question of ‘who owns the past?'”