Evaluation Report Neolithic Pottery Research Group Universität Hamburg We participated in the project week from 17.07.2013 to 24.07.2013 with the theme "Colorful Stone Age" at the AÖZA Stone Age village and performed experiments on color designs of Neolithic pottery. Apart from their own experiments, the students were given the task to be part of museumpedagogical work. These included offering tours of the museum, as well as to answer any questions from interested visitors. Most recently, the research has been increasingly focused on the detection of color of archeological objects and their chemical composition.with the X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, XRF (XRF), the elemental composition of a substance or mixture can be determined. With the powder diffraction the crystal structure of the substances involved can be identified. This requires that the substances in the crystalline state are present and available in sufficient quantity. Especially red color (red chalk) is still detectable in just fragments even after thousands of years. It was abundant in quantity all over the European continent. Our group by the work. The color spectrum recorded alongside red other colors such as white, yellow, and black. White powder can be extracted from limestone; iron oxid ochre can be found in gradations of yellow and red.
Ochre is extracted from the earth and triturated to a fine powder (pigments). Soil with fragments of hematite (red chalk ) can also be prepared by heating yellow, iron oxide hydrate ochre. Coal is the most suitable for black. A mixture of water and a bonding substance, such as animal protein or sticky sap, color can be produced from the resulting pigments. This is applied after heating and burning the pottery. We used cultural groups such as the Lengyel culture, Line Pottery and Cucuteni Culture as orientation for our work. The Lengyel Culture is a Neolithic culture and is dated to the 5th millennium BC. It is spread throughout southwestern Slovakia /western Hungary, but also in Austria, Moravia, and Croatia. Divided into three phases, it is known for its painted pear-shaped pots and foot rests, as well as its polychrome-painted figurines. A great example of this is the famous Venus of Falkenstein. It is dated about 4000 BC and was salvaged in lower Austria. With a height of 13 cm this figurine is considered the most magnificent and best preserved anthropomorphic statuette of the Lengyel culture. The ceramic tape, or Line Pottery in Central Europe is dated from 5600-5500 BC, the oldest farming culture of the Neolithic age. True to its name, the characteristics of this type includes distinctive decoration with a ribbon pattern of square, spiral or wavy lines. The Cucuteni culture also dates back to 5000 BC and spread across Rumania and Moldova in the area between Prut and Dniester to the Dnieper area. The pottery is black, white, and red, and continues the culture of ceramic tape with its spiral motives. Also typical are binocular-like double vessels. The plastic art is highly stylized. It mostly represents women and is similar to the cycladic idols in its later years. Inspired by the shapes of the various Neolithic cultural groups and their color and decorative techniques, we have produced a wide variety of vessels and figurines. Red and yellow clay turns respectively black or reddish when burned. After we have formed the ceramics, in coil technique, we let it dry leather-hard to burn it (this process took 1-2 days depending on the weather and might even go on for a week). The burning took several hours in an open field of fire. For this purpose, we dug a hollow part into the ground and distributed stones inside. We sprinkled sawdust over it and set it on fire. This makes the fuel (straw, soft wood, twigs). During the burning process, the ceramic is stripped off its oxygen. The shards change color from light gray to black, depending on the intensity and time of reduction. The embedded ceramic has to survive with the given amount of fuel. The fire is made up of flames that strive for the top and the glow that goes down. The thermal motion is always characterized by the hot fuel to the colder ceramics. Ideally, the entire fuel smoulders slowly and evenly from top to bottom. This process may take between eight hours to two days. The cooled tubes are cleaned with
a soft cloth. Overall, we conducted two experiments of binder composition, each taking place on a different day. The burning took several hours in an open field of fire. The first experiment was focused on the optimal mixing ratio of pigments and vegetable oil, which, in this case, was linseed. 1 Linseed experiment: In carrying out various dishes were prepared with different conditions and on a broken Neolithic baking dish ( " strips " ) tested for durability. The ratio were measured in teespoons (oil : pigment ). For this experiment, yellow ocher pigment was used. The ratios were: 1:3, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1. Due to lack of shell a little change was introduced so that a small bowl, more and more oil was conducted to. There have been a total of six trials. Our original hypothesis was an optimum mixing ratio of 3:1, that is not so, however, could be confirmed. Instead provides a ratio of 4 to 2 spoons spoons oil pigment, is 2:1, the best result. Since it has hardly any discoloration or cracks, however, the question arises whether the color would not fade quickly. The test plate was placed after inking about 4 hours to the fire. And surprisingly settled after burning scrape off any paint with your fingers. Another attempt was the try to rub the colors off by water. That in experimental Reference: III - VI. with much of violence it was possible, just a little bit, to rub it off. In summary it can be said that more pigments bring a higher solubility with linseed oil for the experiment. 2. Protein experiment: The question was also here which mixing of ratio between protein and pigments (ocher double : dark of Streichgut) is the best. This protein was of a medium size egg used that is almost the same
as 5 teaspoons. Also in this experiment, fragments of Neolithic baking dish used as a "test strip ". A total of 15 different mixing ratios were tested. Here is the thesis of 3:1, in contrast to the previous experiment conducted confirmed. Also provided with this color test strips dry for several hours we have to put our fire (about 2.5 hours). 15 different mixing ratios between protein and pigments. To the results it can be said that after burning it with the naked finger was no longer possible to cover up the color. With water, however, was easily wipe everything again. Thus it can be said that has worse protein as a binder, as oil. It also attracts a lot of flies. The most important thing that we have learned this week: to be patient. Of clay/clay lumps up to a finished, painted ceramic vessel or a figure, it is a long process. It would have offered themselves to pottery two weeks internship beginning, not only to start a week before that, because ceramics must have a leather hard structure and to optimize it to burn. It is equally important to work evenly, so that no air bubbles form in the blood vessel walls. Because this can cause in the ceramics produced during Felbrand cracks. Also provides a stage to painting at short time interruptions to not to smear the colors together. In addition, this week we have made a number of tools, such as brushes or other tools for working ceramics or painting. Similarly, we have found that a post-baking after inking is necessary. Another finding is that incrustations applied before firing should be instincts. Likewise, there was also a sense of achievement : We broke down only a vessel this week and we have become steadily better and faster. However, it is also due to the discovery of the location but also time - labor ratio unlikely that everyday has been elaborately painted ceramics. Whatever has a week in AÖZA given us many insights into the processing of sound and the sophistication of the internal decoration and technique that are useful for our further study in the field of pre-and early archeology we are.
Finished pottery.