Earthenware Change in Southern Scandinavia - The Case of Lund, 1150-1350

During the 12^th-14^th century the household pottery changed. Originally being hand formed with coils of clay or slowly turned on a kavalett (manually rotated disc) potters began to throw vessels on high speed pottery wheels and fire them in kilns . In just a few generations the dominating Baltic ware gave way to wheel thrown reduced (grey) and oxidised (red) pottery. From the beginning, this pottery was imported, or arrived as merchants’ private possessions, but soon local forms appeared and became integrated parts of the households. My aim is to discuss the change from hand formed to thrown pottery, and in so doing create new knowledge about this very dynamic period, from 1150 to 1350. I argue that the archaeological ceramic assemblages reflect the complex society that was forming during the expansive foreign policy of 12^th century Denmark, but also the apparent conservative relation to Baltic ware that prevailed during the 13^th century. In other words, I argue that a deeper understanding of the process of (ceramic) change can contribute to the discussion about the complexity of medieval society. I propose that an in-depth analysis of the thrown pottery can enrich and enlighten the processes of change that happened during the Scandinavian high middle ages. I want to tie the process of change to an archaeological material (i.e. the pottery), and in so doing show the complexity resulting from non-linear co-dependencies between Baltic ware, the potters, the consumers and the thrown pottery.