A Technical Redefinition

Wednesday 11 January 2012, by CerAfIm // 1. Goals



Our analytical approach has been refined through technological structuring (an interpretation of the action and the tools) in order to describe the motifs and organize the reference system. Our terminology was thus redefined so as to describe the techniques for creating decorations.
Technique is too global a term, used for many levels of description. A technique refers to the type of action applied to the material.
The motifs analyzed in this reference system were created using two main techniques: impression and incision.

Impression & Incision The use of "process" rather than "technique" to define a motif is preferable. A process refers to the combination of a technique and an action. There are three processes for impression and two processes for incision.

Impression includes three different processes:
- simple impression,
- pivoting impression
- rolled impression.

Simple impression involves pushing the external surface of the raw ceramic vessel wall back into a mould without damaging it.
Pivoting impression is the action of impressing a linear tool into the ceramic surface with a tilting movement applied at either or both ends.
Rolled impression is the action of creating a decoration using a cylinder-shaped die that is rolled onto the surface to be decorated (Balfet et al. 1983).
Impression simple, pivotante & roulée Incision includes two processes: simple incision and pivoting incision.
Simple incision consists of scoring the fabric to create decorations.
The pivoting incision is made using a tool with at least 2 teeth: one end is used as a swivel while the other cuts into the fabric in a semi-circular shape (See the caliper). Incision simple & pivotante
This action may vary according to the different forms.
To date, no form has been defined for rolled impression and simple incision. However, simple impression comes in 2 forms, while pivoting impression and incision have four forms each.

The forms of simple impression derive from the change in the angle of the tool during impression (perpendicular simple impression and oblique simple impression). The forms of pivoted impression and incision result from the combination of one or 2 swivel(s) stamped within the motif.