Where are the handmade Pots? Thoughts on the Composition of the Ceramic Material from the Iron Age Central Settlement at Neubau in the Context of Neighbouring Regions

Abstract

The LT C2 – LT D central settlement near Neubau, in the vicinity of Linz, Upper Austria, with its voluminous pottery ensemble, offers opportunities for the study of La Tène pottery. Important characteristics of the find complex are the high proportion of graphite pottery and the rare occurrence of hand‑formed vessels. Despite an insufficient state of research on the subject of coarse pottery, interesting tendencies could be detected in the comparison of numerous settlements in southern Germany, north‑eastern Austria, and the Czech Republic. The high proportion of graphite pottery aligns Neubau with various settlements in southern Bavaria, southern Bohemia, Lower Austria, and Moravia, and raises the question of the supply of the raw material. The low proportion of hand‑built vessels finds its best comparisons in Lower Austria and to a certain extent in Moravia. In contrast, hand‑built pottery played a significant role in the material culture of southern Germany and most parts of Bohemia. Whether this difference can be explained by the way the pottery production was organised or by a specific symbolic content of vessel forms is unclear. The observations show, however, that coarse domestic pottery can contribute to the understanding of the Late Iron Age.

The LT C2 – LT D central settlement near Neubau, in the vicinity of Linz, Upper Austria, with its voluminous pottery ensemble, offers opportunities for the study of La Tène pottery. Important characteristics of the find complex are the high proportion of graphite pottery and the rare occurrence of hand‑formed vessels. Despite an insufficient state of research on the subject of coarse pottery, interesting tendencies could be detected in the comparison of numerous settlements in southern Germany, north‑eastern Austria, and the Czech Republic. The high proportion of graphite pottery aligns Neubau with various settlements in southern Bavaria, southern Bohemia, Lower Austria, and Moravia, and raises the question of the supply of the raw material. The low proportion of hand‑built vessels finds its best comparisons in Lower Austria and to a certain extent in Moravia. In contrast, hand‑built pottery played a significant role in the material culture of southern Germany and most parts of Bohemia. Whether this difference can be explained by the way the pottery production was organised or by a specific symbolic content of vessel forms is unclear. The observations show, however, that coarse domestic pottery can contribute to the understanding of the Late Iron Age.