The archaeological importance of the study of pottery

The discipline of archaeology is by no means a simple nor singular study of the past. Due to the wide range of evidence within the archaeological record, from organic to inorganic, many different methods and approaches are taken in order to deal with the wide spectrum of differing evidence. Nevertheless, the study of pottery is without doubt one of the most important tasks taken on by any archaeologist. A great wealth of information can be …

…of how it was made and who made it. It also goes further than this and can tell a great deal about the people involved in its production. Recent developments have transformed archaeology from "closets of curiosity" to a viewing hole into the past. Without the existence of pottery in the archaeological record that transformation would not have been possible. Pottery holds an endless supply of information all which may not have been tapped into.