The Technical and Technological Analysis of the Kulaika Ceramics from the Malget 6 Settlement

We have conducted the technical and technological analysis of the Kulaika ceramics from the Malget 6 settlement using methodology developed by A. A. Bobrinskiy. It was found that potters selected iron-rich, slightly sandy clay and used sand as the main artificial temper added to the paste. Five paste formulas have been determined. Concave forms of six vessels were produced by patch-making method, and one vessel with coiling method. The rim could be additionally formed from the inner side with a coil. The surface could be treated by smoothing with various tools and burnishing, eight various combinations of the treatment operation have been identified. We have found that some areas where the rim turns into the body were smoothed with a toothed tool. Horizontal lines of nail imprints in the inner side of three vessels, presumably, served for pattern outlining. Roasting was done in the reducing environment or the reducing and oxidizing environment. Our analysis has shown that the Malget 6 settlement and Sarovskoe fortified settlement form a separate group of the Kulaika culture in the Tomsk-Narym Ob region characterized by use of iron-rich, lightly sandy clay and sand as the main artificial temper as well as patchmaking method. This group was not isolated, it maintained active contacts with other local kulaika population groups in the Tomsk-Narym and Surgut Ob regions. Because of this interaction, pottery-making technological skills penetrated various regions of which such skills were not typical.