Скачать или смотреть Ceramic perforation techniques in hunter-gatherer sites from the Lower Paraná Wetland

An experimental approach

by Lucía T. Rombolá [1), Sheila Ali [2], Lucas González Nogueira [3]
Clara Álvarez Cortina [3], Mirian Carbonera [4], Natacha Buc [4]

Around 2,400 years ago, hunter-gatherer groups in the Lower Paraná Wetland maintained high residential stability, enabling them to produce large quantities of pottery for cooking, storage, and transport. While most studies focus on manufacturing processes, form, and decoration, technological aspects like perforations or suspension holes remain understudied. Besides, the analysis of ceramic technology often overlooks the tools used, as many were made from perishable or unmodified materials that are difficult to identify archaeologically. Experimental studies in the region suggest that certain bone tools, primarily used for polishing, may have also been used for plant and leather work. Microwear traces on their mesial sections support their role in pottery production, while marks at the apex indicate their potential use in making perforations.
This study evaluates how hunter-gatherers created holes in ceramic vessels through experimental replication with local raw materials. We test different perforation techniques using tools made from wood (Vachellia caven, Parkinsonia aculeata, Enterolobium contortisiliquum, Erythrostemon gilliesii), fish spines (Pterodoras granulosus, Pimelodus maculatus), and a coypu incisor (Myocastor coypus). We document the shape of the perforations at different stages of the clay's drying process and compare them with archaeological ceramic fragments to assess technological choices and tool effectiveness.

[1] Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) - Programa de Pós-Graduação em História, Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul (UFFS). Brazil. [email protected]
[2] Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) – Instituto Nacional de Antropología y Pensamiento Latinoamericano. Argentina.
[3] Instituto Nacional de Antropología y Pensamiento Latinoamericano. Argentina.
[4] Departamento de Ciencias Ambientais, Unochapecó - Centro de Memória do Oeste de Santa Catarina (CEOM). Brazil.
[5] Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) - Instituto Municipal de Investigaciones Antropológicas de Chivilcoy - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Argentina.