The Arctic Cooking Pot: Why Was It Adopted?

Abstract

Cross-culturally, clay cooking pots are correlated with societies situated in warm and dry climates and reliant on foods that benefit from prolonged moist cooking. Neither of these conditions, however, characterized the aboriginal coastal Arctic, where clay cooking containers were produced and used for more than 2,500 years. We explore the factors that encouraged pottery use in the Arctic and conclude that the adoption of cooking pots resulted from the interplay of social and functional factors. We propose that it was adopted (1) to meet the needs of socially constructed preferences for cooked foods and (2) to overcome specific problems associated with other cooking methods within the local social and environmental context. We demonstrate the importance of adopting an integrated perspective in the study of technology-one that considers how cultural values and social practices interact with environmental and economic factors to shape technological decisions. [

Determining Initial Firing Temperatures of Thule Era (1000-250 ya) Pottery from Two Northwest Alaskan Archaeological Sites

“…The results indicate that seal oil and blood increased durability, decreased time needed to boil water, and sealed the pottery well enough that the vessel could hold water (Harry et al 2009). …”

“…Vessels were turned and moved closer to the fire at a slow rate to avoid overheating and cracking. By some accounts this process could take months (Frink and Harry 2008), while others report the drying process taking one to two days (Harry et al 2009). …”

“…Current research uses ethnoarchaeological and experimental research to understand the social, technological and functional aspects of arctic ceramics and to re-analyze old assumptions about the skills needed to make and use arctic pottery and the quality of Arctic ceramic technology (Frink and Harry 2008, Harry and Frink 2009, Harry et al 2009, Anderson et al 2011. The idea that this pottery was an expedient and simple technology has been rejected as we have come to understand the complex technological choices made in creating a functional vessel under adverse conditions.…”

“…Ethnoarchaeological research is addressing social functions of arctic ceramics (Frink 2009). Experimental research has been used to understand the manufacturing process, effectiveness of methods of cooking with arctic pottery, and technological choices made in response to the environmental factors (Harry and Frink 2009, Harry et al 2009a, Harry et al 2009b, Harry 2010.…”

Not meant to last: mobility and disposable pottery

“…Although it may be better to make pottery during the warm, dry summer months, especially if vessel durability is a primary goal, vessels can be produced at other times and in environments that are cold and humid. For example, in coastal Alaska, prehistoric groups made pottery despite living in a cold and wet climate that was seemingly unsuited to the task (Harry, Frink 2009). The kinds of low fired and 'ugly' vessels that can be produced during the cold, wet times of the year may be potential candidates for disposable pottery, although there is no specific indication that the Alaskan examples were meant to be disposable.…”