Preliminary results of technical and technological pottery investigation of Novopetrovka and Gromatuha cultures from Amur basin

The paper is dedicated to the results of all-round investigation of two small ceramic collections from Novopetrovka-2 and Gromatuha sites. Ceramic study includes vessels size, natural structure of shapes, plastic raw materials, pottery pastes, modes of vessels’ construction, mechanical and thermal treatment of vessels, and pottery decoration. Pottery traditions of Novopetrovka-2 and Gromatuha population were close by the using of mountain silt as a plastic raw material, convex-form molds, beating of vessels with paddle, and firing regimes. But some differences show more developed level of Novopetrovka-2 pottery traditions included the using of various organic solutions in pottery paste, grouping the clay patches in wide circle band, developed added sculptural decoration with absolute absence of technological decoration. These facts drew to the conclusion that Gromatuha pottery traditions were closer to Osipovka ones. At the same time Novopetrovka potters did not turn yet to the use of natural clays and mineral temper as Mariinskaya culture potters.