Anatolian Ceramics: A Reflection of Society and Culture
From prehistory to the modern period, ceramics have played an important role in human life. This paper focuses on the history of pottery in Anatolia (Asia Minor, present day Turkey). One of the culturally richest areas in the Mediterranean, Anatolia is nestled between Europe, Asia, and Africa. This region is especially known for its remarkable and lengthy history of ceramic production, with the first archaeological evidence of clay ware dating back to the Neolithic period (c8000 - 5500 BCE). This paper discusses the ceramic ware of four distinct ruling cultures and demonstrates how materials, styles, patterns, and decorations reflect the social and economic conditions of the makers: the sophisticated Hittites (cl900 - 1180 BCE) and their elaborated vessels, the strong Phrygians (cl 160 - 650 BCE) and their ornate pieces, the embattled Lydians (c650 - 546 BCE) with their simple shapes, and the powerful Ottomans (1453 — 1923 CE) with their complex and decorative creations. In addition to the written component, this project is completed by the author’s creative replications of four representative examples displayed in spring 2007 in the Archbishop Alemany Library at Dominican Univeisity of California.
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