Ceramic production in Belarus (VII century B.C. - 1 millennium A.D.)

The work of N.N. Dubitskaya is devoted to the production of ceramic tableware in Belarus during the Iron Age and early Middle Ages (7th century B.C. - 1st millennium A.D.). For the first time in Belarusian archeology, the extensive research on the study of ancient pottery with the use of methods of natural sciences has made it possible to reconstruct the history of ancient pottery in Belarus with much greater accuracy. Special attention is paid to technical and technological schemes related to the selection of raw materials, composition of molding masses, and firing conditions. The examples of pottery of ethnically different archaeological cultures show the existence of cultural and production continuity throughout the period. The character of the process of deepening of specialization of ceramic ware production, transition from home production to craft production is considered.