Stoneware from the 14th to the 17th Centuries Found in Archaeological Excavations in Vilnius

Abstract

Late Medieval and Early Modern Period stoneware production is often found in archaeological excavations around the world. The identification and analysis of these objects provides information about technical innovations, long-distance trade, and social and economic changes in societies. Stoneware vessels were used for pouring and storing liquids, and thus indicate changing drinking habits. Vessels are dated and classified by their surface treatment, the colour of the stoneware, and their decorative motifs, and are then associated with specific manufacturing centres by using a comparative method. The stoneware in Vilnius was produced at production sites in Siegburg, Cologne, Frechen, Raeren, Westerwald and Waldenburg. The earliest stoneware vessels could be associated with newcomers to the town; while in later periods their distribution indicates higher demand and usage in town dwellers’ households. Key words: stoneware, Rhineland, tableware, drinking vessels, Jacobakanne, Vilnius. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/ 10.15181/ab.v25i0.1838