1989/06/01 by Michael Dietler, Ingrid Herbich
Social Sciences · #Anthropological Studies and Insights #Archaeology and Rock Art Studies #Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies
paper · doi:10.1080/00438243.1989.9980096
Abstract The paper describes an operational sequence of production for the ‘household ceramic industry’ of the Luo people of Kenya, indicating the variations in technical and design choices at various stages which characterize the traditions of manufacture and the resultant micro‐styles of different potter communities. Examination of the technology of production among the Luo calls into question the basic premises of the functional definition of style proposed under the ‘information exchange’ hypothesis of M. Wobst. Rather, in agreement with the approaches of P. Lemonnier and J. Sackett, ceramic style is seen to originate in the patterns of choice inherent in all production operations, and neither communication functions nor information targets can be inferred from a consideration of the costs of stylistic behavior.