Xeroradiography, exchange and ceramic characterisation in the admiralty Islands, Papua New Guinea Hekima.

Abstract

Ethnographic evidence and traditional methods of characterization have been frequently applied in the reconstruction of manufacture and distribution of ceramics. This article introduces the method of xeroradiography as a potential tool in the study of ceramic composition and contrasts it with attributes and attribute combinations to provide a holistic understanding of ceramic manufacture and inter-island exchange patterns in the Admiralty Islands.