Early Middle Ages pottery with admixture of calcium carbonate in ceramic mass (examples from hillforts in the Nida Basin)

Abstract

Among vessels used in the Early Middle Ages in the area of western Lesser Poland, the special attention should be paid to specimens made of ceramic mass with leaning admixture composed of minerals containing calcium carbonate. Such vessels are usually determined as Cracow “white” pottery. It seems that the centre of production of pottery with ceramic mass with admixture of calcium carbonate was situated in Lesser Poland in Cracow region. A particular place in this group has pottery production in the Nida Basin in hillforts in Stradów. There is the matter if pottery with leaning admixture of calcium carbonate could have been some kind of a tribal emblem. It seems that it  could. The product so sensitive to changes, impermanent and challenging - for more than 200 years -was dominating among vessels in western Lesser Poland. The attachment to tradition of production vessels from challenging material requiring attention at each stage of production (mainly firing) testifies creating and maintaining the specific style and consciousness of its integrating meaning inside the group. From the outside it proves affiliation with the group. The group producing vessels made of calcium carbonate masses may be mentioned in written sources Vistulans.