(Re)constructing crafting communities in the Gulf of Fonseca, Honduras: a Chaîne Opératoire approach

In many regards, the chaîne opératoire has greatly contributed to the study of ceramics. Since its incorporation within the analysis of archaeological artefacts, chaîne opératoire analysis has developed into a method which provides an understanding of the artisan community within a settlement. Furthermore, it provides solid material evidence of past artisanship, both through the reconstruction of manufacturing processes and technological choices. This paper addresses how chaîne opératoire studies can contribute to the reconstruction of the social organisation of craft, based on two case studies from the Gulf of Fonseca, Honduras. This research explores networks of actions and communities of practice at two sites. The first case study explores the role of the chaîne opératoire in identifying modes of craft transmission, while the second reveals several communities of practice, operating contemporaneously within the same site and sharing a market for similar products.Heritage of Indigenous People