Petrographic analysis of pottery from the Haminmangha site (2010–2011), Inner Mongolia

Abstract

The Haminmangha site is an important prehistoric settlement site in the Khorchin area of Inner Mongolia. Due to its unique combination of pottery and a distinctive regional decoration called the “pitting pattern,” a new archaeological culture was established, the Haminmangha Culture. Furthermore, a Z-shape pattern and painted pattern pottery found within the Hamingmangha pottery assemblage indicate that the Hongshan Culture influenced the Haminmangha Culture archaeologically. This paper introduces the application of petrographic analysis to Haminmangha Culture pottery to distinguish differences in the clay used in Haminmangha pottery. We compare different styles of pottery looking at the clay matrix, sand, and temper. We conclude that pottery with traits of the Hongshan Culture is locally produced. There were cultural communications between the Hongshan Culture and the Haminmangha Culture that involved the transmission of pottery techniques rather than directly imported pottery.