Ancient culture study: The pottery of Ancient Mesopotamia

Type :

Presentation

Pages :

5 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

12/12/2008

Category :

Arts & media

Sub category :

Ancient history

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Summary :

Introduction.
How were the beveled-rim bowls produced?
Theories explaining the beveled-rim bowls.
1. The votive offering theory.
2. Thomas W. Beale's hypothesis.
3. Support for Beale's theory of offerings.
4. A. R. Millard's theory.
The literature and textual evidence of the Late Uruk period.
H. J. Nissen and Gregory Johnson postulates.
Criticisms of Johnson's and Nissen's theory.
The major theories of the beveled-rim bowls as presented by Beale, Millard, and Nissen.
Conclusion.

Abstract

The production of pottery can be considered one of the most important steps an early civilization can take. In point of fact, early societies are often distinguished by their development of pottery, such as the Pre-pottery Neolithic A and B periods are. After the introduction of pottery into society, pottery is of the utmost importance to archaeology as it is very useful in dating and identifying sites. It is therefore of no surprise that the pottery of the Uruk period has been extensively studied. Of all the pottery items and shards found, one type of pottery has been discovered in such great quantities to merit special mention: the beveled-rim bowl. These bowls were clearly mass produced and, in fact, beveled-rim bowls, along with conical cups, have comprised up to eighty percent of all pottery found at some sites (Potts, 151). Even more intriguing is that the reason behind having these bowls is still very much unknown.