Temporal Change in Ceramic Technology at a Neolithic Site in Gombe State

Documenting change in ceramic technology through time at a single site provides some of the most direct evidence for social, economic, and demographic transformation in prehistoric communities. This study examines temporal change in ceramic technology at a stratified Neolithic site in Gombe State, using a collection recovered from four stratigraphic units during a test excavation conducted as part of a university field school. The assemblage of four hundred and eighty-eight sherds was analysed for fabric composition, forming technique, firing temperature category, wall thickness, and surface treatment, with results tabulated by stratigraphic unit to enable diachronic comparison. Results show a consistent trend from coarser, lower-fired, undecorated wares in lower units to finer, higher-fired, and more elaborately decorated wares in upper levels, consistent with a gradual improvement in pyrotechnical control and growing investment in ceramic aesthetics over time. This sequence is broadly consistent with Neolithic ceramic change documented at other sites in the Chad Basin and the adjacent Gongola Valley. Analysis of temper composition using hand lens examination suggests a shift from organic to mineral temper in middle and upper units, which may reflect changes in clay procurement strategy or population replacement. The study recommends thermoluminescence dating of selected sherds to establish an absolute chronological framework for the observed technological changes. Keywords: ceramic technology, Neolithic, Gombe State, technological change, stratigraphic analysis.