11
My professor said handmade pottery tells us more than decorated ones, but I disagree after that dig in Arizona last spring
She argued that plain pots give us pure data about daily use, while decorated ones are just about status. But we found burial urns with complex patterns that matched trade routes across three sites. Which side really reveals more about a culture's big picture?
2 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In2 Comments
terry13d ago
Wait, she actually said decorated pottery is JUST about status? That's ignoring the whole burial urn thing you mentioned. How does matching trade routes not count as "big picture" data?
10
jamiegreen3d ago
That line about "just about status" really bugs me too. It's like looking at a car engine and saying it's just for making noise (obviously it does that, but that's not the main point). I keep noticing this same pattern everywhere - people latch onto one simple explanation because it's easy to remember, while missing the bigger connections (like how pottery designs literally mapped out ancient trade networks). It's the same reason kids in my neighborhood think recycling is just about feeling good, when the real picture is way more about supply chains and material science.
5