Looking Beyond the Medieval Potter’s Wheel

This study focuses on the pottery making learning process and the level of specialisation of the potters after the end of the Late Antiquity. The pottery production of this period is characterized by the coexistence of various production scales, ranging from products covering local needs to broader distribution networks. This analysis takes into account the simultaneous dynamics of the pottery production with a special focus on the micro-scale manufacturing that was not part of the trade system and usually has lower archeological visibility. It also explores the role of social learning in the adoption of new technical knowledge and the relationships between pottery making communities. In order to do so, ethnographic observations were used to gain a deeper understanding of the culturally embedded practices and experimental archeology results provided insights into the transferability of skills required for pottery making.