Degrees of investment in Bell Beaker Ceramics from North-West France
Résumé
This work aims to discuss the notion of investment in Bell Beaker ceramic production. It is trivial to point out that traditional typological models imperfectly reflect the whole complexity of a ceramic assemblage. We assume that vessels of the same shape, decoration and decoration technique belong to the same style, but sometimes sharp differences in colour, firing technology, surface treatment, type of fabric or even building technique occur. Conversely, some vessels diverge only in decoration motif, all other criteria for comparison being absolutely identical. Yet in the end they still belong to different styles. Copies, or vessels made by apprentices, could help to explain these differences, but one can also question the validity of traditional typological schemes: can one place a “standard“ Bell Beaker and its copy(s) in the same group just because the shape or decoration is similar? Therefore, another grid of analysis is needed to account for these similarities, since they are often hidden by the shallowest typological parameters.
Our methodology relies on comparative studies based upon ceramics related to the Bell Beaker phenomenon in northwestern France . All vessels are examined under different parameters related to each stage of the chaine opératoire, such as surface treatment or decoration technique. For each parameter we gave a grade corresponding to the aptitude or the investment shown by the potters. In the end comparisons rely on the overall grade of the vessels as well as a specific parameter under scrutiny. We will then discuss the difference of investment observed within and between the pre-existing styles to see what kind of information this approach provides.