Incised-engraved pottery

Using scanning electron microprobe analysis and simple refiring experiments, this study reconstructs the operational sequence of production and decoration of incised-engraved pottery sherds from the prehispanic site of La Quemada, Zacatecas, Mexico. The results of these analyses suggest that certain steps in the firing and decorative processes were manipulated by local producers over time, wUch resulted in some of the conditions conducive to craft specialization. 

Figure 2. Trivariate plot of the first three principal components (with eigenvectors of the covariance matrix as reference axes) for incised-engraved pottery compositions indicating chemical group affiliations among ceramics and clays.

Engraving. A method of decoration. For application to pottery, the pattern is engraved on a copper plate or roller the incised pattern is then filled with specially prepared colour which is transferred to the ware by transfer paper. As a method of decorating glassware, the pattern is cut directly into the glass surface by means of copper wheels ... 

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