Les débuts de la céramique au Proche-Orient

Abstract

The earliest pottery in the Near East appears in the second half of the IXth millennium BP when, in all other respects, the culture and economy may be regarded as « Neolithic ». Despite the scarcity of available data, it is possible to sketch a general outline of the early techniques of pottery production and to recognize several broad stages in its development. The technological background of the appearance of pottery such as the diverse uses of clay has been studied as well as the technical characters of early Neolithic pottery. Both these studies raise, the question of a local elaboration of pottery technique in the Near East, and the possible reasons why people started to use it. Emphasis is placed on the use of ceramics, for cooking or for other purposes except cooking.