Scope note

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This class comprises types of groupings of ceramic objects (pottery, terracottas and building materials) organized according to their visual characteristics as determined by appropriate experts on the basis of that group of objects’ combined compositional characteristics (U7 fabric) and manufacturing techniques (slip, finish, use of potter’s wheel). In addition, instances of U9 Ware are often characterised by a specific suite of U10 shapes. Ware groupings are often specified hierarchically (e.g, African Red Slip Ware may be subdivided into ware groups A, B, C and D). The classification of an individual real world object according to an instance of U9 Ware depends to varying degrees on different aspects of that object; for example, “black gloss ware” is attributed solely on the basis of a real world object's dark slipped surface, whereas “impasto chiaro sabbioso” is attributed to an object on the basis of its typical colour and inclusions (e.g. its fabric). The substance of an instance of Ware is a conceptual classification created for scientific analysis. 

An instance of U9 Ware comes into being upon its declaration and continues to exist thereafter even if disproven or superseded, so long as it remains an object of discourse in scientific literature.

 

Language

en