Black Figure Floral Ware is an understudied style of pottery which was produced in Boiotia and the nearby regions of Euboia and Phokis during the fifth and fourth centuries B.C.E. Floral Style vases are painted with compositions formed predominantly of palmettes and lotuses rendered in black gloss without the incised details which are typically associated with Black Figure pottery. The corpus of Boiotian Floral Ware is divided into two sub-styles: the Northern Style and the Southern Style. The Northern Style is thought to have been produced in the area North and West of the Kopais while the Southern Style was chiefly produced in the Thespiai-Thebes and the Tanagra regions. To date our understanding of the development of the Southern Style has been based on systematically excavated floral evidence from Rhitsona (Ancient Mykalessos) and the Thespian Polyandrion and random vases from the Skhimatari Museum. Previous research incorrectly identified Tanagra as the primary source of Southern Floral Ware with little regard for Thebes as an important producer. Newly discovered ceramic evidence from four Theban cemeteries now indicates that Thebes was in fact a major producer of Floral Ware. The excavations have brought to light new floral groups and have provided evidence which indicates that vases previously identified as Tanagran or Euboian are more likely to be Theban. / This dissertation chronicles the morphological and iconographical development of the Southern Floral Style according to the systematically excavated floral vases from Rhitsona and the Thespian Polyandrion. Rim and base profiles from the Thespian Polyandrion, Thebes and Haliartos are classified and floral motifs from datable contexts are assigned to types. The evidence indicates that it is the overall shape of the vase and the decorative details within the compositions, rather than a specific rim or base type or compositional layout that identifies regional differences, if any. Newly excavated vases from Haliartos are presented not only to provide a contrast for the Southern Style Floral Ware, particularly in terms of their shape, but also in order to establish a bridge between this dissertation and any future studies of the Northern Style Floral Ware.

This dissertation clarifies ethnoarchaeology's role in post-positivist epistemology through both a critical re-examination of ethnoarchaeology's position within archaeology and a study of household vessel exchange and consumption in the Inland Niger Delta of Mali. I argue that ethnoarchaeology meets its epistemic raison d'etre by achieving theoretical independence from archaeology's general theories. Independence is "built-in" to ethnoarchaeological study by focusing explicitly on the way material culture is used in daily practice; in particular, by re-embedding material culture in the "modern" contexts where it is used. Ceramic exchange in the Inland Niger Delta can not be understood apart from either the exchange and consumption of other industrial household vessels or the political economies women experience within patrilineal households. Household vessels are distinctly women's tools in the Delta and their consumption is an intimate part of the way women resist exploitation and the appropriation of their wealth within household political economies. The different roles vessels play are manifest in the distances these objects travel during consumption and are also materialized by their location within house compounds. Enamel vessels are used in displays of social and economic capital related to marriage that insulate women from exploitation; aluminum vessels are expensive items bought as part of marriage trousseaus; and plastics are relatively low value items given as small gifts or bought in local markets to insulate small amounts of wealth from appropriation. Pottery is relatively marginal within household economies; yet, potters rely on the income ceramic production creates. Thus, potters use extensive marketing strategies to sell their wares to a relatively disinterested clientele in order to meet their own obligations within patrilineal households and to buy the other types of household vessels that they desire. The findings of thi

This dissertation considers nature imagery in selected South Afiican ceramics and printmaking. The main focus is on ecological issues in recent art productions. The text consists of five chapters. The first examines the ideologies of Fritjof Capra in relation to issues about deep ecology and ecofeminism; this chapter seeks to clarify the scope of the words 'land' and 'landscape' as used in a late 20th century context. The second chapter examines some historical works and ideas that have influenced perceptions of nature imagery in South Afiica. Chapters three, four and five constitute the main body of the thesis, and examine nature imagery in selected examples of contemporary printmaking and ceramics. Chapter three investigates selected landscape images ofceramist Esias Bosch and printmakers Gerda Scholtemeijer and Kim Berman. In chapter four the focus is on the flora as the point of reference. Prints of Gerhard Marx, Douglas Goode, EIsa Pooley and Karel Nel, who were all participants in the Art meets Science: Flowers as Images exhibition, will be examined. Important issues such as the separation ofbotanical and fine art, and art and science will be discussed with reference to their work. This will be followed by discussion of works of Susan Sellschop (a ceramic mural) and Bronwen Jane Heath (a wood engraving) in order to demonstrate the different intentions and outcomes ofthese to artists. Three dimensional works of the three ceramists, Lesley-Anne Hoets, Samantha Read-and Katherine Glenday are discussed in the final section of chapter four. Chapter five examines the interrelationship oflandscape and land. This chapter comprises two main sections. The first deals with aspects of landownership in South Africa reflected in recent ceramics and printmaking. Examples of the work of Marion Arnold and Ellalou O'Meara reinterpret images of early explorers and colonists situating them in a contemporary arena, demonstrating connections between past and present. Landownership is the overt subject in the Fee Halsted Berning, whose ceramic relief panel reflects a different perspective of landownership from the prints ofthe Schmidtsdrift artists. The second section surveys work of four artists whose images draw attention to ecological matters. Wendy Ross, Diana Carmichael, Marion Arnold and Carol Hofrneyr create images that higWight different aspects of the fragile balance of nature. / Thesis (M.A.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000

The first chapter is a broad review of the recent history of Chinese porcelain from the Ming period to the present day. It includes remarks on the ceramics town of Jingdezhen and on aspects of materials, construction techniques, glazing and enamelling as well as a brief summary of the types of wares. The second chapter is divided into two parts. The first part introduces the formation of the Tatham Art Gallery and the Whitwell Collection. The second part focuses, firstly, on the blue and white porcelain, secondly, on the enamelled porcelain. The pieces are individually physically examined and catalogued under these headings: General description, rim, foot ring, construction, iconography and motifs, glazes, marks and date. The last chapter compares the blue and white pieces, the enamelled pieces and both pieces. This chapter suggests the qualities and special attributes of the wares such as brush marks. / Thesis (M.A.F.A)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

This dissertation explores the importance of narrative in Ardmore ceramic ware and determines how and to what effect ceramic narrative is used by Ardmore Ceramic Studio. It gives a historical overview of narrative in ceramic wares of English potteries from the eighteenth century to date, as a means of contextualising and locating the influences of Ardmore narrative ceramics. This paper examines selected narrative works, by artists such as Andrew Sokhela and Wonderboy Nxumalo, with reference to Noverino N. Canonici’s writings regarding Zulu oral literature. One of the intentions of this paper is to illustrate how the fundamental elements of Zulu storytelling play an influential role in Ardmore ceramic narratives. Narrative as a means of communication, education and entertainment is assessed with reference to Ardmore examples. This dissertation investigates the potential to use ceramic narratives as anthropological research tools. The focus of this paper is to investigate the use of ceramic narrative in disseminating information and creating social awareness. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

Questa tesi si propone di offrire un contributo agli studi su un centro situato in una delle aree maggiormente sviluppate nell'Europa nel Tardo Medioevo. La ricerca si basa principalmente sull'analisi dei manufatti ceramici di uso comune (contenitori da dispensa, vasellame da cucina e per altre attività domestiche). In parte l'analisi riguarda il vasellame da mensa. Attraverso lo studio della produzione ceramica, si approfondiscono le fasi di sviluppo e di crisi di un centro urbano fino all' Età Moderna, chiarendone le dinamiche e i processi di trasformazione, nell'ambito dei manufatti di uso comune in correlazione con l'analisi delle fonti scritte e della documentazione archeologica nel suo complesso (in particolare l'archeologia degli elevati e la sintesi delle informazioni da essa derivata). Il centro di Prato costituisce quindi, grazie al un'abbondante documentazione scritta e materiale, un osservatorio privilegiato per lo studio delle dinamiche economico-sociali in Toscana e a un livello più ampio, in Europa tra XIV e XVI secolo. / This analysis aims to contribute to studies on a town situated in one of the most developed areas in Europe in the Late Middle Ages. The research is based primarily on analysis of pottery in common use (containers, cookware and other household activities). Part of the analysis concerns Maiolica Arcaica. Through the study of ceramic production, we will explore stages of development and crisis of an urban center until the 'Modern Age, clarifying the dynamics and transformation processes in the context of the artifacts commonly used in conjunction with analysis of written documentation and archaeological evidence as a whole (particularly the archeology of buildings and synthesis of information derived from it). The center of Prato is then, thanks to the extensive documentation, a privileged observatory for the study of socio-economic dynamics in Tuscany and a broader level, in Europe between the fourteenth and sixteenth century.

This thesis examines the marking of Roman glass and ceramic vessels with stamps in the period from the first century B.C. through the second century A.D. The thesis establishes the context for the study of such makers' marks by first examining the early history of Roman glass. the changes brought on by the introduction of glassblowing, and the organization and working conditions of the industry. Next the thesis examines the roles played by stamps on glass in the ancient world. Then the organization and conditions of the ceramics industry are examined and the same questions are posed regarding the roles of stamps and what they can tell us. These stamps show us how the two industries were organized and reveal that Roman makers' marks served not only as proto-brand identifiers and artists signatures, but also as tools for industrial organization.

Investigating Neolithic pottery and vessel use could elucidate the duality between the farming Funnel Beaker Culture and the hunter-gathering Pitted Ware Culture during the Neolithic. The two archaeological groups differ on several accounts that are of great importance when interpreting past societies. However, it is the suggested differential subsistence economies that are of specific interest for this particular investigation. A comparative study based on the absorbed fatty acids in the ceramic material from two different Neolithic sites addresses the food cultures of the farming subsistence and the contrasting, contemporary hunter-gatherer society and the differences in resource-use. The investigation argues that food acts as an active social binder, and stress the importance of incorporating this aspect when discussing past cultures. The results of the analyses display difference in vessel use between the two sites as well as an intra-site difference at Korsnäs. It is argued that these differences are indicative of deviating food-cultures and spatial organisation at Korsnäs respectively. These results are combined with the previously conducted osteological analyses and stable isotopic analyses an approach that contribute to a more dynamic understanding of the Neolithic food cultures than what has been available before. Investigating Neolithic pottery and vessel use could elucidate the duality between the farming Funnel Beaker Culture and the hunter-gathering Pitted Ware Culture during the Neolithic. The two archaeological groups differ on several accounts that are of great importance when interpreting past societies. However, it is the suggested differential subsistence economies that are of specific interest for this particular investigation. A comparative study based on the absorbed fatty acids in the ceramic material from two different Neolithic sites addresses the food cultures of the farming subsistence and the contrasting, contemporary hunter-gatherer society and the differences in resource-use. The investigation argues that food acts as an active social binder, and stress the importance of incorporating this aspect when discussing past cultures. The results of the analyses display difference in vessel use between the two sites as well as an intra-site difference at Korsnäs. It is argued that these differences are indicative of deviating food-cultures and spatial organisation at Korsnäs respectively. These results are combined with the previously conducted osteological analyses and stable isotopic analyses an approach that contribute to a more dynamic understanding of the Neolithic food cultures than what has been available before.

[Truncated abstract] The sale of fraudulent South-East Asian ceramics constitutes a large proportion of the illegal artefact and antique trade and threatens to undermine the legitimate international market. The sophistication and skill of forgers has reached a level where, using traditional appraisal by eye and hand, even the most experienced specialist is often unable to distinguish between a genuine and fraudulent piece. In addition, the current scientific method of authentication used by the international antiques and art industry, thermoluminescence (TL) dating, carries severe limitations. The technique has an error margin of +/-20 % and requires the removal of a significant piece of the sample being tested, which decreases both the monetary and cultural value of the artefact. Of more concern, forgers have developed methods which produce false test results and which appear to corroborate false claims for the age of artefacts. Consequently, the use of TL dating for authentication of ancient ceramics, especially those of South-East Asian origin, has now come into serious question. The most suitable method for authenticating ceramics is through provenance establishment. Studies published in the literature have investigated the application of various analytical techniques to provide this information for ceramic wares and have highlighted their potential to be used for provenance establishment. However, the value of each of these techniques is limited rendering them generally unsuitable for practical use in the international antiques and art world to authenticate high-value South-East Asian artefacts. Consequently, there is a desperate need for the development of a robust, accurate and non-destructive method which can be practically applied in the industry to authenticate South-East Asian ceramics. ... Minor variations between spectral profiles of artefacts produced in the same country have also been used to further provenance artefacts to a specific production region or kiln site. The results of analyses have been compiled to form a unique reference database which can be added to in the future and used by experts internationally. Adaptation of the developed sampling and analytical methodologies to allow in-situ sampling of large artefacts using the

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Riverside, 2009. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 430-465). Issued in print and online. Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations.