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“A classificatory System for the Analysis of Ceramics from Archaeological Contexts in Sri Lanka” Wijerathne Bohingamuwa

It also underpins the importance of providing clear descriptions of
Keywords
wares and rim types with consistent information. It provides
Ceramic classification, examples to illustrate these standards, including definition tables
Ceramic definitions and that are intended to minimise the ambiguity and facilitate
descriptions, Mantai, comparative studies among co-researchers. This classification
Kantharōdai and Kirinda proposes to include accurate and adequate quantitative details and
other illustrations to complete the analysis.

Preamble

This paper proposes ‗a classificatory system’ for the analysis of ceramic recovered from archaeological
1
contexts. However, it first outlines the development of this commodity and briefly reviews key
publications on their analysis, including regional studies. Additionally, this paper also introduces
selected key scholarly works on the subject that have influenced the classificatory framework
presented here. By doing so, it is anticipated that this will encourage readers to engage with these
broad range of publications in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the classification
ceramics outlined in this paper . It should, however, be noted at the outset that each archaeological
2
assemblage is unique and requires distinctive analytical methods and approaches, and therefore this
framework should only be considered yet another ceramic classification developed by the author for
3
the analysis of his assemblage in keeping with his research requirements. The primary focus of his
research interest was to place the ceramic assemblage within the wider context of the Indian Ocean
and compare it with those unearthed from Sri Lanka, with the aim of understanding the island‘s
external relations and internal dynamics that facilitated the external connectivity. These interactions
certainly contributed to the development of civilization before the 13 century CE. Therefore,
th
provenance of ceramics and determining the possible origins of ceramic understanding the internal
procurement, production, and trade-exchange networks were central to his study. Consequently, his
analysis of ceramics and beads was directed to establish those patterns and hence the classification of
these artefacts was influenced by these research priorities. Therefore, artefacts were integrated with
comparable assemblages from across the Indian Ocean. The ceramics are defined and described
more precisely to enable such inter-site and inter-regional comparisons. In this regard, the objective
of this classification slightly differs somewhat from those exhaustive analysis undertaken by
researchers such as Deraniyagala (1972 and 1984) Kuna (1987), Schenk (2001), and Coningham,
(2006), as discussed below. It is hoped that this approach will offer alternative insight for future
researchers.

1 This article adopts the term ceramic to refer to clay product commonly known also as pottery. However, it also uses the
term pottery when referring to publications by others, considering its wide use in Sri Lanka and elsewhere. Throughout this
article, these two terms are used interchangeably and as synonyms.

2 For this purpose, this paper also aims to provide a comparatively large bibliography for the analysis of ceramics from
around the Indian Ocean.
3 I gratefully acknowledge the invaluable contribution of Dr Derek Kennet, one of my doctoral supervisors (ceramic) at the
University of Oxford, whose guidance was central to developing this classificatory system. This article is an updated and
expanded version of an annex included in my doctoral thesis. I am highly appreciative of the assistance provided by Ben
Saunders, Ran Zang, Seth Priestman, Roberta Tomber, Heidrun Schenk, V. Selvakumar, K. Rajan, Ravi Mohanthi, and
Ranjith Bandara Dissanayake for the assistance they extended towards the identification and analysis of ceramic assemblages
upon which this analytical system was developed. A special thanks is due to Ben Saunders, who under the direction of
Derek, set up my ceramic assemblage. The Chinese assemblage was re-analysed with the assistance of Ran Zang, another
student of Derek, and he too deserves a special acknowledgement. Being students of Dereck, we followed modified versions
of his ceramic classificatory system that he developed at Ras al-Khaimah, Arabia.

ANCIENT CEYLON 2025: 29(I), 1-26 pp. | 2