Experimental Archaeology No.3

As part of one of their projects, students from the GCSE Archaeology class at Medway Adult Education Centre undertook the making and firing of an 'Early Bronze Age' Beaker pottery vessel. Students (including one who is totally blind) from my adult education classes at Gravesend and Dover also joined in. As in 1996, Chris Pout has to be thanked for allowing us to use his smallholding on which to build the kiln.

Eleven pottery vessels, some definitely more Beaker in shape than others (Plate 1), were fired in a simple bonfire kiln. In previous years (Newsletter: Nos. 32 and 36), a clamp kiln had been constructed, the combustible material being covered with turf and soil. No trace of the 1996 kiln was visible. One ploughing, with a modern plough, would have dispersed and destroyed all trace of ash and scorching of the ground surface. Unless misfired pottery ('wasters') were found whilst fieldwalking or excavating, there would be no indication that such simple structures had once existed.

With this year's kiln, wood was stacked around the pottery and then cuttings and brambles piled on top. The material was allowed to burn for twenty-four hours and then the still very hot ash was scraped away. As in previous years, it was expected that all the pots would be badly damaged, but the success rate, despite a more simple kiln being used, was (surprisingly) higher than in previous years. Four pottery vessels came out complete and two nearly so (Plate 2). The other five had been reduced to small sherds which did not reflect either the size or number of the pottery vessels.

The hardness of the fired clay would suggest that a temperature in excess of 800 degrees centigrade, that is needed for the successful firing of pottery, had been reached. The color produced varied from light grey to black, completely different from the reddish brown color of 'typical' Beaker pottery. The relative uniformity of color in the genuine article shows that the potters of that period had control over oxygen supply and temperature. Further pot firing sessions are planned for next year.

Details of the Medway Adult Education Centre, GCSE Archaeology course can be obtained from the centre on (01634) 845359. I will also probably attempt pottery making with my WEA students at Gravesend, Sittingbourne, and Dover.

Alan Ward
Part-time archaeology lecturer at Medway Adult Education Centre.