On the left: a large bowl with raised handle and decorated internally with a cross motif. Middle Bronze III (1450 - 1440 BC). On the right: reproduction achieved using methods used in experimental archaeology.
Initial phase in building a pottery kiln. The reconstruction was based on a Bronze Age kiln found at the terramare at Basilicanova (Parma).
Final phase in building a pottery kiln. The structure comprises a circular combustion chamber with a protruding dome in compacted clay and vegetable fibre. The mouth takes in air, which is funnelled through a chimney at the rear to favour and control the flow.
Fashioning the clay is one of the crucial moments in making a pot; it is time-consuming and laborious. Employing a mould entails using a concave support onto which layers of clay are stuck. To fashion the walls of a pot, the coil technique is used, whereby a series of clay “sausages” or rolled strips are laid on top of one another.
Once the shape has been achieved, handles and grips are added; these are often particularly elaborate in the case of terramare pottery.
The shiny effect on the surface of many terramare pots, especially tableware, is obtained by prolonged smoothing and working the particles of clay uniformly. This is done with a smoothing stone and a stick made of horn. Decorating and applying a finish must be done when the clay achieves a leathery consistency, not too soft and not too hard.
Reconstruction of a large shell-shaped pot: applying a surface finish. The original model is dated around the XIIIth century BC.
Firing takes place only after a further period of drying, whose length depends on the size of the pot and the atmospheric conditions. Once drying is complete, the pots are fired in the two reconstructed kilns inside the open-air museum. The larger kiln was used to fire the bigger pots such as the shell-shaped ones mentioned above.
The smaller kiln was used for pots of more modest size. The entire firing cycle, in which temperatures can rise to 800 degrees, takes several hours and requires constant supervision of the fuel and airflow.
On the left: a large bowl with raised handle and decorated internally with a cross motif. Middle Bronze III (1450 - 1440 BC). On the right: reproduction achieved using methods used in experimental archaeology.
Initial phase in building a pottery kiln. The reconstruction was based on a Bronze Age kiln found at the terramare at Basilicanova (Parma).
Final phase in building a pottery kiln. The structure comprises a circular combustion chamber with a protruding dome in compacted clay and vegetable fibre. The mouth takes in air, which is funnelled through a chimney at the rear to favour and control the flow.
Fashioning the clay is one of the crucial moments in making a pot; it is time-consuming and laborious. Employing a mould entails using a concave support onto which layers of clay are stuck. To fashion the walls of a pot, the coil technique is used, whereby a series of clay “sausages” or rolled strips are laid on top of one another.
Once the shape has been achieved, handles and grips are added; these are often particularly elaborate in the case of terramare pottery.
The shiny effect on the surface of many terramare pots, especially tableware, is obtained by prolonged smoothing and working the particles of clay uniformly. This is done with a smoothing stone and a stick made of horn. Decorating and applying a finish must be done when the clay achieves a leathery consistency, not too soft and not too hard.
Reconstruction of a large shell-shaped pot: applying a surface finish. The original model is dated around the XIIIth century BC.
Firing takes place only after a further period of drying, whose length depends on the size of the pot and the atmospheric conditions. Once drying is complete, the pots are fired in the two reconstructed kilns inside the open-air museum. The larger kiln was used to fire the bigger pots such as the shell-shaped ones mentioned above.
The smaller kiln was used for pots of more modest size. The entire firing cycle, in which temperatures can rise to 800 degrees, takes several hours and requires constant supervision of the fuel and airflow.