Pottemagerier og pottemagerovne

Etnologiske og etnografiske paralleller

Resumé

Potters and potters’ kilns.
Ethnological and ethnographic parallels
By Jan Kock and Lone Schmidt

Ethnological and ethnographic parallels in traditional pottery making can be very important for our understanding of the remains of medieval pottery kilns found in Denmark. A comprehensive regional investigation in southwestern Europe is pointed out, showing that the updraft type of kiln has been dominant in that area in recent times, while the downdraft kiln has been more common in northern and eastern Europe. A specific example of the updraft type of kiln from Crete is shown. A number of examples from Denmark of traditional pottery works with downdraft kilns in recent time are reviewed, providing much supplementary knowledge of the furnishing of the workshops, the raw material for both pottery clay and lead glaze, production, the construction of the kilns, fuel, the actual firing, and marketing conditions; all elements that expand our understanding of the archaeologically established medieval pottery works.