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Experiments in Viking Age Pottery
This report presents an archaeological experiment investigating pottery production in Viking Age Ribe.
Several locally made vessels from the eighth and ninth centuries show small, pinprick sized holes in the ceramic fabric. These have previously been interpreted as traces of organic material added to the clay as temper and later burnt away during firing.
To investigate this possibility, a series of experimental clay vessels were produced using different types of temper and different clay sources. After firing, the size, shape and distribution of the holes were analysed and compared with archaeological finds from the Ribe area.
The results provide new insight into the techniques and materials used by Viking Age potters and contribute to our understanding of local ceramic production in one of the earliest trading towns in Scandinavia.
The report is published in English and can be downloaded here:
