Short story about scientists playing grooves on old pottery like an old vinyl record
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Read a long time ago so not recent, maybe in the 1970s or 1980s. It might have been Bradbury, but maybe not.
Some kind of researchers (anthropologists? physicists?) figure out how to play the grooves on a wheel-turned pot (people have used for more than 5 thousand years!) with a stylus/needle just like you play old-school records. They're hoping they'll hear something really interesting, but it turns out to be totally mundane and boring. A guy comes and talks with the potter, they gossip idly about neighbors. My recollection is that the potter lived in medieval England.
story-identification short-stories technology
edited Nov 28 at 15:40
TheLethalCarrot
37.6k15203247
asked Nov 28 at 15:36
Maryal
13123
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up vote
26
down vote
favorite
Read a long time ago so not recent, maybe in the 1970s or 1980s. It might have been Bradbury, but maybe not.
Some kind of researchers (anthropologists? physicists?) figure out how to play the grooves on a wheel-turned pot (people have used for more than 5 thousand years!) with a stylus/needle just like you play old-school records. They're hoping they'll hear something really interesting, but it turns out to be totally mundane and boring. A guy comes and talks with the potter, they gossip idly about neighbors. My recollection is that the potter lived in medieval England.
story-identification short-stories technology
edited Nov 28 at 15:40
TheLethalCarrot
37.6k15203247
asked Nov 28 at 15:36
Maryal
13123
New contributor
Maryal is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Was this story science fiction or fantasy? I'm not seeing any SF/F elements in the description you've given so far.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:44
4
By a SF author, published in a SF collection. Also speculative and counter-factual...
– DavidW
Nov 28 at 15:53
3
@DavidW Sorry, I'd misunderstood the description. Somehow I didn't realise they were hearing voices from hundreds of years ago recorded on the pot.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:56
2
Not a direct answer, but the concept of sound being encoded in a pot is discussed here; it lists several works of fiction with the premise (including "Time Shards"). I first heard of it in the extremely meta X-Files episode "Hollywood AD"
– Jack Brounstein
Nov 28 at 20:17
3
@Randal'Thor Neither did I. When I read that "it turns out to be totally mundane and boring," I assumed that it was just static, as hearing words (as in the suggested answer) would not be mundane nor boring at all for the researcher! No matter what they actually said.
– jpmc26
Nov 29 at 0:51
|
show 2 more comments
up vote
26
down vote
favorite
up vote
26
down vote
favorite
Read a long time ago so not recent, maybe in the 1970s or 1980s. It might have been Bradbury, but maybe not.
Some kind of researchers (anthropologists? physicists?) figure out how to play the grooves on a wheel-turned pot (people have used for more than 5 thousand years!) with a stylus/needle just like you play old-school records. They're hoping they'll hear something really interesting, but it turns out to be totally mundane and boring. A guy comes and talks with the potter, they gossip idly about neighbors. My recollection is that the potter lived in medieval England.
story-identification short-stories technology
edited Nov 28 at 15:40
TheLethalCarrot
37.6k15203247
asked Nov 28 at 15:36
Maryal
13123
New contributor
Maryal is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Read a long time ago so not recent, maybe in the 1970s or 1980s. It might have been Bradbury, but maybe not.
Some kind of researchers (anthropologists? physicists?) figure out how to play the grooves on a wheel-turned pot (people have used for more than 5 thousand years!) with a stylus/needle just like you play old-school records. They're hoping they'll hear something really interesting, but it turns out to be totally mundane and boring. A guy comes and talks with the potter, they gossip idly about neighbors. My recollection is that the potter lived in medieval England.
story-identification short-stories technology
story-identification short-stories technology
edited Nov 28 at 15:40
TheLethalCarrot
37.6k15203247
asked Nov 28 at 15:36
Maryal
13123
New contributor
Maryal is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Nov 28 at 15:40
TheLethalCarrot
37.6k15203247
asked Nov 28 at 15:36
Maryal
13123
New contributor
Maryal is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Nov 28 at 15:40
TheLethalCarrot
37.6k15203247
edited Nov 28 at 15:40
TheLethalCarrot
37.6k15203247
edited Nov 28 at 15:40
TheLethalCarrot
37.6k15203247
37.6k15203247
asked Nov 28 at 15:36
Maryal
13123
New contributor
Maryal is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Nov 28 at 15:36
Maryal
13123
asked Nov 28 at 15:36
Maryal
13123
13123
New contributor
Maryal is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Maryal is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Maryal is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Was this story science fiction or fantasy? I'm not seeing any SF/F elements in the description you've given so far.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:44
4
By a SF author, published in a SF collection. Also speculative and counter-factual...
– DavidW
Nov 28 at 15:53
3
@DavidW Sorry, I'd misunderstood the description. Somehow I didn't realise they were hearing voices from hundreds of years ago recorded on the pot.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:56
2
Not a direct answer, but the concept of sound being encoded in a pot is discussed here; it lists several works of fiction with the premise (including "Time Shards"). I first heard of it in the extremely meta X-Files episode "Hollywood AD"
– Jack Brounstein
Nov 28 at 20:17
3
@Randal'Thor Neither did I. When I read that "it turns out to be totally mundane and boring," I assumed that it was just static, as hearing words (as in the suggested answer) would not be mundane nor boring at all for the researcher! No matter what they actually said.
– jpmc26
Nov 29 at 0:51
|
show 2 more comments
1
Was this story science fiction or fantasy? I'm not seeing any SF/F elements in the description you've given so far.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:44
4
By a SF author, published in a SF collection. Also speculative and counter-factual...
– DavidW
Nov 28 at 15:53
3
@DavidW Sorry, I'd misunderstood the description. Somehow I didn't realise they were hearing voices from hundreds of years ago recorded on the pot.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:56
2
Not a direct answer, but the concept of sound being encoded in a pot is discussed here; it lists several works of fiction with the premise (including "Time Shards"). I first heard of it in the extremely meta X-Files episode "Hollywood AD"
– Jack Brounstein
Nov 28 at 20:17
3
@Randal'Thor Neither did I. When I read that "it turns out to be totally mundane and boring," I assumed that it was just static, as hearing words (as in the suggested answer) would not be mundane nor boring at all for the researcher! No matter what they actually said.
– jpmc26
Nov 29 at 0:51
1
1
Was this story science fiction or fantasy? I'm not seeing any SF/F elements in the description you've given so far.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:44
Was this story science fiction or fantasy? I'm not seeing any SF/F elements in the description you've given so far.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:44
4
4
By a SF author, published in a SF collection. Also speculative and counter-factual...
– DavidW
Nov 28 at 15:53
By a SF author, published in a SF collection. Also speculative and counter-factual...
– DavidW
Nov 28 at 15:53
3
3
@DavidW Sorry, I'd misunderstood the description. Somehow I didn't realise they were hearing voices from hundreds of years ago recorded on the pot.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:56
@DavidW Sorry, I'd misunderstood the description. Somehow I didn't realise they were hearing voices from hundreds of years ago recorded on the pot.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:56
2
2
Not a direct answer, but the concept of sound being encoded in a pot is discussed here; it lists several works of fiction with the premise (including "Time Shards"). I first heard of it in the extremely meta X-Files episode "Hollywood AD"
– Jack Brounstein
Nov 28 at 20:17
Not a direct answer, but the concept of sound being encoded in a pot is discussed here; it lists several works of fiction with the premise (including "Time Shards"). I first heard of it in the extremely meta X-Files episode "Hollywood AD"
– Jack Brounstein
Nov 28 at 20:17
3
3
@Randal'Thor Neither did I. When I read that "it turns out to be totally mundane and boring," I assumed that it was just static, as hearing words (as in the suggested answer) would not be mundane nor boring at all for the researcher! No matter what they actually said.
– jpmc26
Nov 29 at 0:51
@Randal'Thor Neither did I. When I read that "it turns out to be totally mundane and boring," I assumed that it was just static, as hearing words (as in the suggested answer) would not be mundane nor boring at all for the researcher! No matter what they actually said.
– jpmc26
Nov 29 at 0:51
|
show 2 more comments
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
28
down vote
I think this was Time Shards (link to story online) by Gregory Benford. (The note says it was originally published in UNIVERSE 9, edited by Terry Carr.)
"Researchers figure out how to play the grooves on a wheel-turned pot"
Brooks stooped forward. When he peered closer he could see the smooth finish was an illusion. A thin thread ran around the pot, so fine the eye could scarcely make it out. The lines wound in a tight helix. In the center of each delicate line was a fine hint of blue. The jug had been incised with a precise point.
[...]
Hart pressed a switch and the turntable began to spin. He watched it for a moment, squinting with concentration. Then he reached down to the side of the turntable housing and swung up the stylus manifold. It came up smoothly and Hart locked it in just above the spinning red surface of the pot.
"My recollection is that the potter lived in medieval England."
“Who made it?”
“Near as I can determine, somebody in a co-operative of villages, barely Christian. Still used lots of pagan decorations. Got them scrambled up with the cross motif a lot.”
“You’ve gotten . . . words?”
“Oh, sure. In early English, even.”
answered Nov 28 at 15:46
DavidW
1,2851223
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
The wikipedia page on archaeoacoustics references:
Rudy Rucker's 1981 short story "Buzz" includes a small section of
audio recovered from ancient Egyptian pottery.
in addition to Time Shards (as answered by DavidW) and various tv shows who used the technique.
answered Nov 29 at 9:18
Baldrickk
308137
This answer sort of reads as more of a comment on the other answer and various other possibilities this could be. It might be better if you edited it to focus solely on "Buzz" and why that matches.
– TheLethalCarrot
Nov 29 at 9:20
"Buzz" is about a kind of self-replicating alien waveform that, when played back, takes over the world.
– DavidW
Nov 29 at 12:02
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
28
down vote
I think this was Time Shards (link to story online) by Gregory Benford. (The note says it was originally published in UNIVERSE 9, edited by Terry Carr.)
"Researchers figure out how to play the grooves on a wheel-turned pot"
Brooks stooped forward. When he peered closer he could see the smooth finish was an illusion. A thin thread ran around the pot, so fine the eye could scarcely make it out. The lines wound in a tight helix. In the center of each delicate line was a fine hint of blue. The jug had been incised with a precise point.
[...]
Hart pressed a switch and the turntable began to spin. He watched it for a moment, squinting with concentration. Then he reached down to the side of the turntable housing and swung up the stylus manifold. It came up smoothly and Hart locked it in just above the spinning red surface of the pot.
"My recollection is that the potter lived in medieval England."
“Who made it?”
“Near as I can determine, somebody in a co-operative of villages, barely Christian. Still used lots of pagan decorations. Got them scrambled up with the cross motif a lot.”
“You’ve gotten . . . words?”
“Oh, sure. In early English, even.”
answered Nov 28 at 15:46
DavidW
1,2851223
add a comment |
up vote
28
down vote
I think this was Time Shards (link to story online) by Gregory Benford. (The note says it was originally published in UNIVERSE 9, edited by Terry Carr.)
"Researchers figure out how to play the grooves on a wheel-turned pot"
Brooks stooped forward. When he peered closer he could see the smooth finish was an illusion. A thin thread ran around the pot, so fine the eye could scarcely make it out. The lines wound in a tight helix. In the center of each delicate line was a fine hint of blue. The jug had been incised with a precise point.
[...]
Hart pressed a switch and the turntable began to spin. He watched it for a moment, squinting with concentration. Then he reached down to the side of the turntable housing and swung up the stylus manifold. It came up smoothly and Hart locked it in just above the spinning red surface of the pot.
"My recollection is that the potter lived in medieval England."
“Who made it?”
“Near as I can determine, somebody in a co-operative of villages, barely Christian. Still used lots of pagan decorations. Got them scrambled up with the cross motif a lot.”
“You’ve gotten . . . words?”
“Oh, sure. In early English, even.”
answered Nov 28 at 15:46
DavidW
1,2851223
add a comment |
up vote
28
down vote
up vote
28
down vote
I think this was Time Shards (link to story online) by Gregory Benford. (The note says it was originally published in UNIVERSE 9, edited by Terry Carr.)
"Researchers figure out how to play the grooves on a wheel-turned pot"
Brooks stooped forward. When he peered closer he could see the smooth finish was an illusion. A thin thread ran around the pot, so fine the eye could scarcely make it out. The lines wound in a tight helix. In the center of each delicate line was a fine hint of blue. The jug had been incised with a precise point.
[...]
Hart pressed a switch and the turntable began to spin. He watched it for a moment, squinting with concentration. Then he reached down to the side of the turntable housing and swung up the stylus manifold. It came up smoothly and Hart locked it in just above the spinning red surface of the pot.
"My recollection is that the potter lived in medieval England."
“Who made it?”
“Near as I can determine, somebody in a co-operative of villages, barely Christian. Still used lots of pagan decorations. Got them scrambled up with the cross motif a lot.”
“You’ve gotten . . . words?”
“Oh, sure. In early English, even.”
answered Nov 28 at 15:46
DavidW
1,2851223
I think this was Time Shards (link to story online) by Gregory Benford. (The note says it was originally published in UNIVERSE 9, edited by Terry Carr.)
"Researchers figure out how to play the grooves on a wheel-turned pot"
Brooks stooped forward. When he peered closer he could see the smooth finish was an illusion. A thin thread ran around the pot, so fine the eye could scarcely make it out. The lines wound in a tight helix. In the center of each delicate line was a fine hint of blue. The jug had been incised with a precise point.
[...]
Hart pressed a switch and the turntable began to spin. He watched it for a moment, squinting with concentration. Then he reached down to the side of the turntable housing and swung up the stylus manifold. It came up smoothly and Hart locked it in just above the spinning red surface of the pot.
"My recollection is that the potter lived in medieval England."
“Who made it?”
“Near as I can determine, somebody in a co-operative of villages, barely Christian. Still used lots of pagan decorations. Got them scrambled up with the cross motif a lot.”
“You’ve gotten . . . words?”
“Oh, sure. In early English, even.”
answered Nov 28 at 15:46
DavidW
1,2851223
edited Nov 28 at 15:51
answered Nov 28 at 15:46
DavidW
1,2851223
answered Nov 28 at 15:46
DavidW
1,2851223
answered Nov 28 at 15:46
DavidW
1,2851223
1,2851223
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
The wikipedia page on archaeoacoustics references:
Rudy Rucker's 1981 short story "Buzz" includes a small section of
audio recovered from ancient Egyptian pottery.
in addition to Time Shards (as answered by DavidW) and various tv shows who used the technique.
answered Nov 29 at 9:18
Baldrickk
308137
This answer sort of reads as more of a comment on the other answer and various other possibilities this could be. It might be better if you edited it to focus solely on "Buzz" and why that matches.
– TheLethalCarrot
Nov 29 at 9:20
"Buzz" is about a kind of self-replicating alien waveform that, when played back, takes over the world.
– DavidW
Nov 29 at 12:02
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
The wikipedia page on archaeoacoustics references:
Rudy Rucker's 1981 short story "Buzz" includes a small section of
audio recovered from ancient Egyptian pottery.
in addition to Time Shards (as answered by DavidW) and various tv shows who used the technique.
answered Nov 29 at 9:18
Baldrickk
308137
This answer sort of reads as more of a comment on the other answer and various other possibilities this could be. It might be better if you edited it to focus solely on "Buzz" and why that matches.
– TheLethalCarrot
Nov 29 at 9:20
"Buzz" is about a kind of self-replicating alien waveform that, when played back, takes over the world.
– DavidW
Nov 29 at 12:02
add a comment |
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
The wikipedia page on archaeoacoustics references:
Rudy Rucker's 1981 short story "Buzz" includes a small section of
audio recovered from ancient Egyptian pottery.
in addition to Time Shards (as answered by DavidW) and various tv shows who used the technique.
answered Nov 29 at 9:18
Baldrickk
308137
The wikipedia page on archaeoacoustics references:
Rudy Rucker's 1981 short story "Buzz" includes a small section of
audio recovered from ancient Egyptian pottery.
in addition to Time Shards (as answered by DavidW) and various tv shows who used the technique.
answered Nov 29 at 9:18
Baldrickk
308137
answered Nov 29 at 9:18
Baldrickk
308137
answered Nov 29 at 9:18
Baldrickk
308137
answered Nov 29 at 9:18
Baldrickk
308137
308137
This answer sort of reads as more of a comment on the other answer and various other possibilities this could be. It might be better if you edited it to focus solely on "Buzz" and why that matches.
– TheLethalCarrot
Nov 29 at 9:20
"Buzz" is about a kind of self-replicating alien waveform that, when played back, takes over the world.
– DavidW
Nov 29 at 12:02
add a comment |
This answer sort of reads as more of a comment on the other answer and various other possibilities this could be. It might be better if you edited it to focus solely on "Buzz" and why that matches.
– TheLethalCarrot
Nov 29 at 9:20
"Buzz" is about a kind of self-replicating alien waveform that, when played back, takes over the world.
– DavidW
Nov 29 at 12:02
This answer sort of reads as more of a comment on the other answer and various other possibilities this could be. It might be better if you edited it to focus solely on "Buzz" and why that matches.
– TheLethalCarrot
Nov 29 at 9:20
This answer sort of reads as more of a comment on the other answer and various other possibilities this could be. It might be better if you edited it to focus solely on "Buzz" and why that matches.
– TheLethalCarrot
Nov 29 at 9:20
"Buzz" is about a kind of self-replicating alien waveform that, when played back, takes over the world.
– DavidW
Nov 29 at 12:02
"Buzz" is about a kind of self-replicating alien waveform that, when played back, takes over the world.
– DavidW
Nov 29 at 12:02
add a comment |
Maryal is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Maryal is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Maryal is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Maryal is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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1
Was this story science fiction or fantasy? I'm not seeing any SF/F elements in the description you've given so far.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:44
4
By a SF author, published in a SF collection. Also speculative and counter-factual...
– DavidW
Nov 28 at 15:53
3
@DavidW Sorry, I'd misunderstood the description. Somehow I didn't realise they were hearing voices from hundreds of years ago recorded on the pot.
– Rand al'Thor♦
Nov 28 at 15:56
2
Not a direct answer, but the concept of sound being encoded in a pot is discussed here; it lists several works of fiction with the premise (including "Time Shards"). I first heard of it in the extremely meta X-Files episode "Hollywood AD"
– Jack Brounstein
Nov 28 at 20:17
3
@Randal'Thor Neither did I. When I read that "it turns out to be totally mundane and boring," I assumed that it was just static, as hearing words (as in the suggested answer) would not be mundane nor boring at all for the researcher! No matter what they actually said.
– jpmc26
Nov 29 at 0:51