Ceramics production of the Kulaika cultural-historical community at the settlement of Smolokurovka II (Chulym River, Western Siberia)

The technical and technological analysis of ceramics of the Kulaika cultural-historical community from the site of Smolokurovka II was performed. It was determined that potters selected tin clay of three different subspecies. Low sand clay with natural inclusions of brown ironstone, which could be pre- crushed, was most frequently used. Eight paste recipes have been identified, including three single-component and five multi-component recipes ofpaste. The vessels were molded through patch application. Eight different combinations of surface treatment methods were established. Smoothing of the transition area from the rim to the body on the inner surface with a cogwheel was recorded. Firing could be carried out in a semi-reducing or reducing environment. A combination ofpottery making techniques was revealed, likely due to the presence of different groups ofpeople from the Kulaika cultural-historical community living in the area. Each of these groups had their own unique production skills. The interaction between these population groups led to the mixing of traditions, which can be seen in the vessels created using multi-component paste recipes. Different technological traditions of the Kulaika cultural-historical community are associated with specific habitation areas. For instance, in the Tomsk-Narym Region of the Ob Basin, at least two types of paste traditions coexisted - with broken stone and sand admixtures. A third group, using chamotte, resided downstream the Ob River. Different population groups of the Kulaika cultural-historical community inhabited different territories and contacted their neighbors throughout the entire period of the community existence. This can be seen through the spread of pottery traditions to regions where they were not originally found.