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How This Site Works
To identify a ceramic sherd by comparison with our index examples
Go to the “Identify your sherd” search
page. Select the attributes from the drop-down menus that most closely match the sherd
you are trying to identify (remember: the fields marked with an asterisk ** are
required to complete the search).
This will produce a series of thumbnail images of “type index
specimens”, that is, sherds that exemplify a specific ceramic type.
Your search results will show all of the types in our collection that
include sherds matching your search criteria. This should help you refine
your search.
You can click on any of the type index specimen thumbnails to see the
full-sized index specimen and get a written description for that type.
The index type specimen page also provides a link to see all examples
of that type in the collection, which will allow you to refine your search.
To browse and learn about specific historic-period ceramic types, or groups of types
Go to the “list all types” page and
select the type in which you are interested. This will produce thumbnail images of all
examples of that type in our collection. You can also link to the written
description and type index specimen for that type from this page.
OR
Go to the Search and Browse page and select the type
you want from the drop-down menu for the “Type” field;
or select a group of types from the “Category” field. This
will produce thumbnail images of all examples of that type or category
in our collection.
Searching on the “Type” field will produce thumbnail images
of the “type index specimen” for the type you want to see.
Click on this to see the full–size index specimen and a written description
of the type, and to link to other examples of that type in our collection.
To freely browse and search the collection and database
Go to the Search and Browse page.
This page allows you to freely search by any single
criteria or combination of criteria. Searches will
produce thumbnail images of all sherds that fit your
search criteria.
About the site contents
Please remember that the searchable database is based exclusively on
the specimens in the Florida Museum of Natural History Historical Archaeology
Type Collections. As such, it may not encompass the entire range of variation
known for some pottery types.
Each piece of pottery found in this site has been classified according
to the set of attributes you will find in the drop-down search menus
on our search pages.
WE FULLY RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ATTRIBUTES AND THE TERMS CHOSEN TO DESCRIBE
THEM ARE ARBITRARY, however they are necessary to provide the consistency
that is essential for communication among users of the site. Where appropriate,
we provide links to visual glossaries that illustrate our attribute terms.
We welcome input from users. Click here to send comments, corrections and suggestions.
About the attribute fields
Paste Color: Color of the interior clay body of the sherd
Surface Finish/Glaze: The manner in which the surface has been treated or finished Decorative Technique: The physical technique used to decorate the sherd (NOT the design motif or colors) Background Color: The predominant color of the sherd’s surface, which creates the background for other colors and designs. (see below: Note on Color) Paste Temper: The kind of inclusions (if any) seen in the sherd’s clay body Design Motif 1: The design or design elements used for decoration Design Motif 2: Rim Motif: The design or design element used specifically around the rim of the vessel from which the sherd came Design Color 1: Colors used in decorating (usually painting) the sherd (See * below: Note on Color) Design Color 2: Design Color 3: Design Color 4: Collection: The sub-collection of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Historical Archaeology Type Collections to which the sherd belongs (see About the collections) Location of Recovery: Region in which the sherd was excavated Site: Site from which the sherd was excavated Type Name: Name of the type in which the sherd has been classified (See ** below: Note on types) Alternate Type Name: Other widely-used, published names for the same type Design Distribution: The way the design is distributed on a vessel Vessel Form: The form (if any) of the vessel from which the sherd came. Production Origin: Where the pottery was manufactured **Note on Color:
Color is particularly troublesome because of the large
variation in both individual and cultural perceptions of color. Computer
monitor variations add another complicating factor in agreeing on
color designations. The color glossaries are therefore particularly
important and should be used if there is any question about what a
color term (e.g., “buff/tan/cream”, “blue”, “rust/brownish
red”, etc.) means in the context of this site.
We have intentionally compressed color descriptors into general, widely-inclusive
categories to reduce or avoid searches that produce no results, a common
problem when using highly specific, and highly subjective color designations.
*Note on “Types” We have organized this site around the concept of “ceramic type”, as used by archaeologists. (see Introduction to ceramic identification) We have relied on published definitions of ceramic type and have not attempted to define new types. Sherds that do not conform to exiting published type are designated as “Unidentified….”. We recognize that there is not always consensus among archaeologists about type definitions and classification schemes. We have tried to indicate this in the “type index specimen” pages, which provide reference to other published perspectives when appropriate. |