Definition: The Pitted Ware Culture is the name given to a Neolithic period people living in southern Scandinavia and parts of Russia in the 3rd millennia BC. Pitted Ware (or Pit Ceramic) was a contemporary culture to the Funnel Beaker Culture; and obviously named after the distinctive decorative technique on ceramic pots. Isn't it interesting how many prehistoric cultures are named after a particular characteristic of the artifact assemblages?
Gunilla Eriksson. 2004. Part-time farmers or hard-core sealers? Västerbjers studied by means of stable isotope analysis. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 23(3):135-162.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Additional sources for the term include the references listed on the front page of the Dictionary, and the websites listed in the sidebar. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
Also Known As: Pit Ceramic Stone Age
Examples: Jettböle I, Finland; Västerbjers, Gotland
