Ceramics and Society

Catalog description

For thousands of years, people have engaged with clay by making, distributing, using, and discarding ceramic objects. This course explores the relationship between ceramics and people by introducing the fundamentals of recovering, documenting, and analyzing archaeological ceramics. Students will develop a critical understanding of the potential and challenges of interpreting ceramic objects within broader social contexts of production, exchange, and consumption. The course aims to foster an appreciation for the diversity and complexity of ceramic studies and encourage students to understand the materials, makers, and technological processes involved in working with clay. Ultimately, we focus on the people who made and used these objects. Topics will include the invention of ceramics, natural and cultural landscapes, networks of exchange and trade, organization of production, communities of practice, and the role of ceramics in foodways and cooking practices. Since ceramics are best understood through exploration and hands-on experience, we will study samples in the Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials, handle archaeological and ethnographic objects from the Penn Museum collection, and visit local clay centers and artists.