Franken/History of Pottery, 1. Theory and Practice of Ceramic Studies in Archeology

This chapter critically examines the value of pottery typologies as used in the dating of archaeological finds, and attempts to show that pottery from ancient cultures deserves a study for its own sake and value. The chapter discusses the idea of explanation, "Hume's problem", the typological system in Near Eastern Archaeology, as well as the Idea of identity of forms and their synchronous development. It is also concerned with archaeometry and provides some examples of Explanation in Pottery Studies.