Ava Beaker, Achavanich

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Details

The Achavanich Beaker was discovered during excavating a burial cist in 1987.  The cist was unusual in that it was dug into the Caithness flagstone bedrock, a process that would have involved moving around 3.4 tonnes of stone to create a pit.   

Within the cist were the remains of a young woman, nicknamed Ava in recent years, as well as this beaker, three flint artefacts, and a cattle scapula.  Analysis of pollen found in sediment recovered from the inside of the beaker suggests some form of burial rite that may have involved the locally sourced flowers being used in whatever was placed into the beaker at the time of Ava's internment. 

Pollen analysis also provided evidence for the flora found in the landscape around the burial site, trapping evidence of Ava's final moments before the cist was sealed and her loved ones took their final glimpse of this young woman.  

The original beaker itself is coarsely decorated, and from my years of experience replicating Bronze Age pottery, it appears to have been made in a hurry or by someone more used to making cooking pots rather than a Beaker specialist.  I have done my best to be true to the original feel of this pot and have tried not to over sanitise it.  

 Context

Around 2500 BCE, Britain saw the first use of metal in the form of Gold and Copper, and alongside these new materials came pottery beakers.  Often considered to mark the end of the Neolithic and the beginning of the Bronze Age, it was a time of great change, with some research studies claiming that a wave of migrants from Europe replaced a vast proportion of Britons.  In terms of pottery, this change resulted in a bloom of creativity where potters showed off their skills by creating highly decorated pottery forms.  

 Materials

Smoke fired Terracotta

Dimensions

Height 190mm, diameter 150mm

Production

As with all my Museum Quality Replicas, this pot has been made, as the original would have been,  entirely by hand from natural clay and using replicas of the types of tools that the Bronze Age makers would have used.  In keeping with the original pot, the decoration was applied using a hand-twisted cord made from natural bark fibres, in this case, lime bark bast.

Firing

It has been fired to emulate the ancient firing conditions.  The original pot would have been fired in an open wood fire, in close contact with the fuel, a process that leaves its mark on the clay as variations in the surface colour.  However, the very low temperatures achieved in open firings also result in pots that are relatively weak, so this pot has been fired to a somewhat higher temperature to strengthen it, in a unique firing process that allows me to achieve an authentic appearance to the pot.

Health & Safety

This is a Museum Quality Replica and is not intended for use as a drinking vessel, if you require replica pots for actual use with food of beverages, please ask before purchasing.

Postage

All items are sent using a second class postal service, if you wish to have an item sent first class please contact my for a quote.  Many Thanks