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A Case for the One-offs: Improvisation and Innovation Within a Copper Age Potting Community

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Repository DOI


Type

Article

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Authors

Kohring, S 

Abstract

Unique objects are often poorly integrated into discussions about the social organization of production or technological processes. Often they are frustratingly interpreted as ritual or prestige objects, or they are simply consigned to footnotes in archaeological reports. This does not do them justice and their contextualization may provide greater insight into the social factors involved in production activities. This paper attempts to demonstrate what unique, or one-off, objects can tell us about technological systems and how improvisational technical choices can lead to innovation within society. It focuses on a particular example of pottery production and usage at the Copper Age site of San Blas (Spain) and how two particular vessels on the surface appear to be unique one-off products. This paper shows that one-off objects may in fact be opening the door to innovation through acts of improvisation within existing socially sanctioned production aesthetics and object ideals.

Description

Keywords

technology, improvisation, innovation, pottery, Copper Age, Iberia

Journal Title

Cambridge Archaeological Journal

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0959-7743
1474-0540

Volume Title

26

Publisher

Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Sponsorship
Support has come directly and indirectly through the Universidad de Sevilla, University of Cambridge and EDIA (Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Ingra-estruturas do Alqueva, S.A).