La Tène stamp-decorated pottery in the eastern Carpathian basin. Regional perspectives

This research paper offers an in-depth examination of La Tène stamp-decorated pottery from the Eastern Carpathian Basin, with an emphasis on findings from contemporary Romania. With a focal point on pottery assemblages from production sites we begin to analyze five basic stamped motifs: concentric circles, crescents, S’s, lyres, and cruciform motifs. These are common to different mediums of craft expression and are territorially widespread, occurring with varying intensity throughout the Carpathian Basin. The study presents a regional analysis by synthesising archaeological findings from various production and consumption sites and discussing regional inventories, decorative styles and the typology and chronology of stamped decoration. It uses archaeological data to improve our understanding of regional pottery practices and integrates these findings into a broader European context. This approach reveals the interconnectedness and unique features of La Tène stamped pottery in the Eastern Carpathian Basin.