max388•13d ago

I used to think pottery shards were just broken junk, but a dig in New Mexico changed that

We found a whole cooking pot smashed into pieces, and putting it back together showed exactly how they made their food (like, you could see the burn marks from the fire). Anyone else had a find that totally flipped how you see a common artifact?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_blake13d ago

You say it changed your view, but it's still just broken junk. The burn marks don't tell you anything you couldn't guess.

willow_anderson8512d ago

Actually had a similar thing with an old radio I found. Looked like trash, just a burnt shell. But seeing exactly where the wires melted, not just that it burned, showed a short in a specific spot the design was known for. Guessing gets you "it broke", looking close can tell you how it broke, which is way different.