Traditional craftspeople are not copycats: Potter idiosyncrasies in vessel morphogenesis

Abstract

Ceramics are quintessential indicators of human culture and its evolution across generations of social learners. Cultural transmission and evolution theory frequently emphasizes apprentices' need for accurate imitation (high-fidelity copying) of their mentors' actions. However, the ensuing prediction of standardized fashioning patterns within communities of practice has not been directly addressed in handicraft traditions such as pottery throwing. To fill this gap, we analysed variation in vessel morphogenesis amongst and within traditional potters from culturally different workshops producing for the same market. We demonstrate that, for each vessel type studied, individual potters reliably followed distinctive routes through morphological space towards a much-less-variable common final shape. Our results indicate that mastering the pottery handicraft does not result from accurately reproducing a particular model behaviour specific to the community's cultural tradition. We provide evidence that, at the level of the elementary clay-deforming gestures, individual learning rather than simple imitation is required for the acquisition of a complex motor skill such as throwing pottery.

Cultural transmission and perception of vessel shapes among Hebron potters

“…In brief, the Hebron case offered insights into the cultural transmission and evolution of craft objects. The results highlight the individual part of the learning process and of the subsequent developed skills and vessels (Gandon et al, 2018;Gandon et al, 2020a, Gandon et al, 2020b. This study will help archaeologists to interpret the ancient ceramic shapes variation and to better understand how those shapes have evolved.…”

“…Their results confirmed that the potters' skills are imprinted by the cultural context in which they have been learnt although these skills are not determined by a cultural model copied during learning (Bril, 2018). A complementary study with Indian Prajapati and Indian Multani potters tracked the vessel morphogenesis defined as the potter-induced morphological changes in the clay body, from its initial pre-formed stage following centring and opening operations, up to the moment that the final form is reached (Gandon et al, 2020b). Results showed that, in both Prajapati and Multani groups, potters reliably followed individual-specific vessel morphogenesis towards culturally homogenous vessel types.…”

“…All complete vessel outlines were subjected to an Elliptical Fourier transformation (Gandon et. al., 2013;2018;2020b;McLellan and Endler, 1998). The resulting series of 40 pairs of coefficients were normalized with respect to the first coefficients to correct for size differences so that pure shape could be analyzed.…”

“…The participants' behavioral reproducibility was analysed by computing the standardization of the vessel assemblages through the coefficient of variation of the vessels' absolute dimensions. We used the Elliptical Fourier method to analyze vessel shape variation among the productions (Gandon et al, 2013;2018;2020b;McLellan and Endler, 1998).…”

Ceramic Perspectives on Ancient Egyptian Society

“…Detailed formal analysis of vessel typologies reveals variation site-to-site that can help elucidate the links between local production and local identity. Variation at the site level can be the result of a host of factors, including production for different venues such as settlement or cemetery (Bourriau, 1986-87); different local tastes, activities, and associated demands; and even variation between individual potters (for example, Gandon et al, 2020).…”