ae ology , ▁a ▁be aker ▁is ▁a ▁small ▁cer am ic ▁or ▁metal ▁drink ing ▁vessel ▁sh aped ▁to ▁be ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁hands . ▁ ▁Term ▁ ▁Arch ae olog ists ▁identify ▁several ▁different ▁types ▁including ▁the ▁invert ed - bell ▁be aker , ▁the ▁but t ▁be aker , ▁the ▁cla w ▁be aker , ▁and ▁the ▁rough - cast ▁be aker . ▁ ▁When ▁used ▁alone ▁“ be aker ” ▁usually ▁refers ▁to ▁the ▁typical ▁form ▁of ▁pot tery ▁cu ps ▁called ▁invert ed - bell ▁be akers ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁European ▁Be aker ▁culture ▁of ▁the ▁late ▁Ne ol ith ic ▁and ▁early ▁Bron ze ▁Age . ▁ ▁Bell ▁be akers ▁The ▁invert ed - bell ▁be aker ▁or ▁bell - be aker ▁was ▁first ▁defined ▁as ▁a ▁find - type ▁by ▁Lord ▁Aber c rom by ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁tw enti eth ▁century ▁and ▁comes ▁in ▁three ▁distinct ▁forms , ▁the ▁( typ ical ) ▁bell ▁be aker , ▁and ▁the ▁r ar er ▁short - ne ck ed ▁be aker , ▁and ▁long - ne ck ed ▁be aker . ▁There ▁are ▁many ▁variations ▁on ▁these ▁basic ▁types , ▁with ▁inter - gr ades ▁between ▁them . ▁Bell - be akers ▁have ▁been ▁found ▁from ▁North ▁Africa ▁to ▁southern ▁Scotland , ▁and ▁from ▁Portugal ▁to ▁the ▁far ▁east ▁of ▁Europe ▁but ▁is ▁particularly ▁common ▁in ▁the ▁Rh ine ▁valley ▁and ▁the ▁coast s ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁Sea . ▁ ▁“ Typ ical ” ▁bell ▁be akers