Miniature vessels from the Neolithic site at Čatež-Sredno polje. Were they meant for every day use or for something else?

Abstract

Archaeologists use models based on ethnographic analogy and theory to recreate the meanings of symbols, but rarely can the archaeological data by itself provide us with a story. The extensive excavation at Neolithic Čatež-Sredno polje provided us with new information concerning Neolithic society in the first half of the 5th millennium B.C. in Slovenia. The abundance of pottery finds offered a huge opportunity to explore several aspects of pottery production. In this article a closer look at one group of pottery finds will be presented. A detailed picture of the symbolic aspects of miniature vessels will be presented in terms of their production, use, function, and distribution.