Recent research published in Science magazine indicates that use of fire treated silcrete tools dates back 72000 years ago in wide spread usage, and 140,000 or so years back in an the earliest sample found.
Ceramicists are definitely working in about as long of a legacy as possible.
The research suggests that manipulation of silcrete with fire appears to coincide with evidence of human capacity for symbolism first appearing.
The above referenced story in Science...
also talks about an aboriginal society in New Zealand, I believe, where the ancient form of pyrotechnology and silcrete tool and pottery production still occur.
Wouldn't it be cool if there were a grant somewhere that could underwrite Koen going to New Zealand and having a technological exchange on the making of pottery with one of these aboriginal craftsmen doing it the way it was done some 70 to 160ka (thousand years ago). It would be so cool to see what Koen could learn, if anything about how to improve, or otherwise fruitfully alter his ceramic techniques.And it would be equally interesting to see what the aboriginal craftsman would think of Koen's ways: better or worse?
I am sure dear DC .....
....that you would want to be there!
I have traveled too often and to far to really look forwards to a trip to New Zeeland, but it is probably one of the few places I could be convinced to travel to. At least as much as FLW wanted to see the ?Burgerweeshuis? in Amstelveen by Aldo Van Eijk before the end of his life, I would love to see the Jean Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center in Noumea, New Caledonia, by Renzo Piano. It is not going to happen, but it is nice to think about it. As to the ceramics I have more to learn from them than they could ever learn from me but I am sure that it would be an interesting exchange. Just the fact that their art has been so useful and appreciated within their culture, that it has survived for such a long lime in an unusual achievement. Considering that I will never do it, I can only speculate on what would happen. One of the things I am quite sure about, because it has happened to me in most places I had the pleasure to visit, is that no matter how high the language barrier is, potters find very quickly common ground on what constitutes the quality of a pot and how, in the different s techniques, one reaches that quality.
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