Palaeolithic ceramic technology: The artistic origins and impacts of a technological innovation

Abstract

This paper analyses the assemblages of Upper Palaeolithic ceramic figurines and figurine fragments from Czech Republic (“Pavlovian”) and Croatia, which are some of the first iterations of this material and technological innovation in Europe. Using chaîne opératoire methodology, this paper compares both the technologies and gestures involved in the manufacture of these artefacts as well as the impact of these new materials on art and society in each context. These analyses reveal how the introduction of this innovative material and the associated technologies used to make ceramic art proved to be an important catalyst for more experimentation and play in the production of art, which led to innovations in artistic expression. Furthermore, this research highlights the need to study Palaeolithic ceramic artefacts using quantitative and nuanced analytical methodologies that move beyond the traditional focus on the most iconographically-striking Palaeolithic art.