Stone Age Pottery in Lithuania: Symbols and Rituals Embedded in Technological Processes

Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis

Abstract

This article analyses the technological processes involved in the production of Stone Age pottery, aiming to identify the symbols and rituals associated with these techniques and trace their development over time. Furthermore, it examines the influence of the natural, economic, and social environments on the development of symbolic worldviews as reflected in Stone Age pottery, contextualising these findings within a broader cultural framework. The study focuses on two primary cultural traditions of hunter-fisher-gatherer communities in the territory of present day Lithuania – the Nemunas and Narva Cultures – as well as the early pastoral societies of the Globular Amphora and Corded Ware Cultures. To illustrate these traditions, two widely investigated regions were selected as case studies: Biržulis Lakeland in West Lithuania and the Dubičiai region in Southeast Lithuania. The analysis of pottery-making processes, encompassing ceramic paste preparation, temper selection, vessel shaping and decoration, firing, and use, reveals a system of social and cultural symbols embedded in rituals that facilitated the transmission of significant experiences and the continuity of traditions across generations.