Preliminary Provenance Research on Chinese Neolithic Pottery: Huating (Xinyi County) and Three Yellow River Valley Sites

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to sherds from the important site of Huating and, for comparison, several Neolithic sites in the valley of the Yellow River. We hoped to compare the compositions of two stylistically different ceramics found at Huating, and to evaluate the degree of compositional clustering and inter‐site resolution that could be expected in an area that is noted for its extensive, and possibly very homogeneous, loess deposits. In addition, pottery sherds from Huating have been examined by microscopic petrography. All of these results will provide needed input in the planning of research towards the formation of a Neolithic/Shang Dynasty ceramic database for future use in archaeological research in China.     

广东博罗先秦硬陶的XRF和INAA研究

为揭示广东博罗梅花墩、银岗、横岭山三地古陶器的产源、烧造工艺、技术传播和化交流等方面情况,用波长色散X射线荧光分析(WDXRF)、仪器中子活化分析(INAA)同时测量了广东博罗梅花墩、银岗、横岭山等三地点所出38片西周至春秋、战国硬陶中Al、Ba等元素的含量。并用主成分分析分别处理了测量数据。两套数据的分析结果均表明,梅花墩、银岗和横岭山的硬陶原料互不相同,各地点硬陶可能主要是“自烧自用”。数据分析还表明在南方各省区中,广东硬陶具有Al2O3含量偏高这一明显的地区特征。     

ROMAN POTTERY FROM AUGUSTA PRAETORIA (AOSTA,ITALY): A PROVENANCE STUDY

Forty-five sherds of Roman pottery, 21 terrae sigillutae and 24 common wares excavated in Augusta Praeroria, were analysed for 12 elements by atomic absorption and emission spectroscopy. Hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and non-linear mapping were performed on the analytical data in order to classify the objects in groups which could account for different provenances; soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA) and K nearest neighbours (KNN) were used for solving doubtful assignments. The classification results indicate that local productions of terra sigillatu can be easily distinguished from the imported ones, and that common wares have compositional patterns which differ from those of both local and imported terrae sigillatue.     

INTERREGIONAL CONTACTS BETWEEN TELL EN-NASBEH AND LITTORAL PHILISTINE CENTRES IN CANAAN DURING EARLY IRON AGE I*

Philistine bichrome ware from Tell en-Nasbeh, an Israelite village in the hill country, has been characterized by instrumental neutron activation analysis. A group of pottery stylistically indistinguishable from wares made in Philistia is shown to be of local origin, while other sherds match kiln wasters found in the littoral Philistine city of Ashdod. These findings attest to complex and reciprocal interregional contacts between the Philistines and the Israelites during the eleventh to twelfth centuries BC.     

Pottery Styles during the Early Jomon Period: Geochemical Perspectives on the Moroiso and Ukishima Pottery Styles

Energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (EDXRF) was used to determine the minor and trace element chemistry of 92 Early Jomon pottery sherds. The sherds came from four contemporary sites in the Kanto region and belong to either the Moroiso or Ukishima style of pottery. Principal components analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis indicate that there are four major groups in the data set, which correspond to site location. Furthermore, for sites having both Moroiso and Ukishima pottery, the statistical tests indicate that both styles of pottery were made from the same or geochemically similar raw materials. This suggests that both styles were probably made at the same site, and indicates that if the different pottery styles are reflecting ethnic identity, then intermarriage between ethnic groups is occurring. Alternatively, the pottery styles could be reflecting some sort of social interaction between groups.     

Traces of Early Austronesian Expansion to East Indonesia? New Discovery of Dentate-Stamped and Lime-Infilled Pottery from Central Sulawesi

This short article report about the new findings of finely made dentate-stamped and lime infilled potteries from the Goa Topogaro site in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Most of them are red-slipped pottery decorated with dentate-stamped, lime infilled, and can be identified as burial potteries as they are excavated with secondly burials of the Early Metal Age possibly dated around 2000-1800 years ago. When comparing these finds with common decorative patterns seen in early dentate-stamped pottery assemblages in the Philippines, Mariana Islands, and early Lapita sites, the Topogaro dentate-stamped pots lack some common early patterns, but exhibit a wider variety of designs. It is now argued that dentate-stamped decorations at Lapita sites mainly disappeared by around 2800 BP or at least by 2000 BP in the Pacific, but the Topogaro dentate-stamped sherds may indicate that this pottery tradition continued and further developed in Island Southeast Asia or Sulawesi at least until the Early Metal Age. The detailed analysis of these new finds and further comparative study on production technique, variety of design, forms, and styles of both dentate-stamped ceramics in Southeast Asia and Oceania is required.     

Portuguese Blue‐on‐Blue 16th–17th Century Pottery

Blue‐on‐blue (‘berettino’) sherds have appeared in numerous production and consumption archaeological excavations in Lisbon and other archaeological sites in Portugal (dated from the mid‐16th century to the beginning of the 17th century). The abundance of this interesting faience led us to compare it with similar pottery from other well‐known production centres in Italy, namely Liguria (Savona and Albisola), Spain (the Triana kilns) and the Low Countries. Differences in the diffraction patterns of the sherds' pastes from the four countries were observed. In most samples, cobalt blue silicate (cobalt olivine) was identified in the dark blue or light blue glazes through the use of micro‐Raman spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance spectra. A remarkable difference in the calcite contents of the Lisbon and Seville pottery sherds was observed, in accordance with previous observations of high calcite contents of Seville ceramics. A comparison was also made for all of the blue‐on‐blue sherds studied here with many other 16th–17th century sherds from Lisbon using bivariate plots of K/Si versus Ca/Si. Lisbon and Seville pottery behave very differently, whereas sherds from Italy and the Low Countries occupy intermediate positions.     

LEAD ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF LATE BRONZE AGE POTTERY FROM HALA SULTAN TEKKE (CYPRUS)

Lead isotopic compositions were measured for 65 sherds from five pottery wares (Plain White, Coarse, Canaanite, White Slip and Base‐ring) excavated from the Late Bronze Age site of Hala Sultan Tekke (Cyprus). The elemental composition and isotopic signature of the sherds were compared with those of 65 clay samples collected in south‐east Cyprus, mainly in the surroundings (<20 km) of Hala Sultan Tekke. This work shows the effectiveness of using lead isotopic analysis in provenance studies, along with other analytical techniques, such as X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X‐ray detection (EDX) facility, to identify the composition of pottery wares and the clay sources used for pottery ware production.     

A SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF TRADITIONAL KOREAN CELADONS AND THEIR MODERN DEVELOPMENTS

Eighty sherds from nine different kiln sites representing a wide geographic distribution and a long time span of Korean celadon culture are analysed for macroscopic and compositional characteristics. Additionally chemical and mineral compositions of six unglazed sherds are compared with those of some modern raw materials. Unusually high values of alumina in the earliest Kangjin pieces of the middle ninth and early tenth century (I¹) could represent a significant technological innovation at the end of this period at this most important celadon production centre. Similarity in chemical and mineral compositions between unglazed sherds and some raw materials such as Kangjin clay and pottery stone show the possibility that many of the celadons were made from these types of raw materials as found in nature without additives and only after mechanical refining.     

A MICRO‐RAMAN AND INTERNAL MICROSTRATIGRAPHIC STUDY OF CERAMIC SHERDS FROM THE KILNS OF THE MEDICI CASTLE AT CAFAGGIOLO*

Nine representative sherds from the old (14th–16th century) kilns at the Castle of Cafaggiolo in Tuscany have been analysed by means of internal microstratigraphic analyses and micro‐Raman spectroscopy and classified as follows: six engobed and glazed fragments, of which three are covered with an opaque white, decorated layer, one is marbleized, and two are engobed. The surface of the two engobed sherds, fragments of unfinished products, indicates that at least two firing processes were used. Two samples show characteristics of Byzantine pottery, and three of them can be classified as Islamic ware or maiolica, whilst the other one displays intermediate characteristics. The variety of ceramic wares indicates the presence of craftsmen with differing expertise, and suggests that part of their work was dedicated to experimentation on new ceramic production techniques.     

Chemical characterization of ancient pottery from sudan by x‐ray fluorescence spectrometry (xrf), electron microprobe analyses (empa) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS)*

Sixty‐four sherds and seven natural clays from prehistoric sites in northwestern Sudan have been submitted to petrological and chemical analysis using XRF spectrometry, EMPA and ICP–MS. According to their texture, the sherds form five different groups. The high contents of P₂O₅ (more than 0.5 wt%) discerned in 19 samples and the variation of the P₂O₅ content in two samples of the same vessel can be explained by post‐depositional processes or by the ancient organic contents (e.g., milk) of the vessel. Chemical classification of the pottery bulk suggests that vessels were made locally, as only sherds from the same area show homogeneity of data.     

Seventeenth-century Pottery from Ash,Surrey

Abstract

About 2,000 sherds, mainly in white fabric, were found on a site at Ash which was one of several producing similar wares on the West Surrey and Hampshire borders. Some of the sherds were medieval, but the remainder were 17th century and are analysed in an attempt to assess the forms and characteristics of the post-medieval pottery made at Ash. Documentary evidence discloses the presence of potters in Ash in the 17th and 18th centuries, although there is no direct link with the site, and also indicates possible sources for the potters’ clay.     

PASTE CHARACTERIZATION OF WEEDEN ISLAND POTTERY FROM KOLOMOKI AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR SPECIALIZED PRODUCTION

Abstract

We report the results of a petrographic analysis of pottery from Kolomoki, a Middle and Late Woodland period mound and village complex in southwestern Georgia. Thin sections of 65 sherds representing several prestige and utilitarian Weeden Island pottery types, from both domestic (midden) and ceremonial (mound) contexts, were obtained. For comparison, we also analyzed samples from a few potential clay sources. We characterize the range of variability in paste/resource groupings present in the Kolomoki assemblage and use these data to address patterns of manufacture and exchange of Weeden Island pottery through comparisons to thin sections of comparable types from the McKeithen site and other Weeden Island sites in the region.     

Spanish Pottery Imported into Medieval Britain

MEDIEVAL POTTERY imported from Spain is divided into fine tin-glazed and coarse unglazed. or lead-glazed wares, and is found in contexts from the late 13th. to 15th century. It is difficult to distinguish late 14th and early 15th-century lustrewares made at the two main production centres in Andalucia and Valencia by visual examination of the fabric or of the type of decoration. The late 13th and early 14th-century Andalusian and the 15th-century Valencian wares are more characteristic. Eighty-three finds from thirty-five sites are described and twenty-eight other sites listed. There are about equal numbers of sherds from early and late contexts; but Valencian imports have a wider distribution, found at some forty sites as opposed to about twenty Andalusian sites. This was a limited luxury trade, largely in decorative bowls and dishes. Tin-glazed albarelli presumably came as containers, but jugs could have been either containers or imported for their appearance—unlike Saintonge jugs which came in much larger quantities as part of the SW. French wine trade. Thirty-six examples of unglazed or lead-glazed costrels, amphorae, storage vessels and bowls are described and dated to the 13th and 14th. centuries. These coarse wares were containers, but the small numbers imported again confirm their context in a limited luxury trade.     

BYZANTINE AND UMAYYAD PERIOD POTTERY AT BARSINIA (2006 SEASON OF EXCAVATION)

Abstract

Until recent pottery studies of the ancient Classical and Early Islamic rural sites in northern Jordan were of less interest to archaeologists. This article focuses on the Byzantine and Umayyad period pottery that has been discovered during the first season of excavation at Barsinia in the north-western part of Jordan. Fifty-two indicative pottery sherds were sorted according to their date and function into two main groups: the early Byzantine pottery (fourth–sixth centuries) and the Late Byzantine–Umayyad pottery (sixth–eighth centuries). Since Barsinia is one of the small rural archaeological sites, and such sites were rarely mentioned in ancient literary sources, the study of material remains at such locations is essential for elucidating regional development and trade. It also sheds more light on the relation between the site and the surroundings through the comparative study of the pottery objects.     

Neutron activation analysis of fine grey pottery from Conimbriga,Santa Olaia and Tavarede,Portugal

The concentrations of two major elements and thirteen trace elements in 73 selected sherds of fine grey ware from the Iron Age and Roman period, excavated at Conimbriga, Santa Olaia and Tavarede, Portugal, were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. These concentrations were used to calculate distance matrices which were then subjected to cluster analysis employing SAHN and k-means methods, as well as to principal components analysis, to group the sherds according to the overall similarity of their compositional characteristics. The results showed that equivalent groupings appeared regardless of the taxonomic method used. Two major clusters were recognized corresponding to two different sites, namely Conimbriga and Santa Olaia, suggesting that the ceramics from these sites were made locally. No significant differences in compositional patterns were observed between iron age and roman sherds from Conimbriga.     

Medieval Painted Pottery in South and Central Italy

DURING the 9th century unglazed pottery decorated with red or brown slip came into production along the middle Rhine. This pottery, known as Pingsdorf ware, was exported in large quantities to the North Sea region and even to the Baltic coast.² By the 12th century red-painted pottery, often imitating Pingsdorf ware, was made at a number of sites in the Low Countries and western France.³

It has long been known that painted pottery was manufactured throughout the medieval Islamic world, including north Africa, and isolated finds of painted ware have been published in Italy and Spain.⁴ Nevertheless, little attempt has been made to explore the possible connexions between painted pottery in the Mediterranean basin and western Europe,⁵ A serious obstacle to such an attempt is the inadequacy of most publications of Mediterranean finds. This paper offers an account of the painted wares in one area of the Mediterranean, peninsular Italy, and suggests that the pottery found there may indeed be related to the earliest painted wares north of the Alps. It must be emphasized, however, that the study of Italian medieval pottery is in its infancy and that the suggestions made here are of an entirely speculative nature.     

THE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF ORIENTAL CERAMIC BODY COMPOSITIONS: PART 1: WARES FROM NORTH CHINA*

This paper presents the body analyses of 70 sherds of ceramics made in north China during the Late Tang and Northern Song dynasties (c. AD 80–1200). The major types represented are Ding, Xing and Cizhou-type wares. The analyses were obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry, giving information on nine major and minor constituents. These have been used to differentiate chemically between the major kiln sites in the north, with the aid of multivariate computer analysis. This has demonstrated that there are differing chemical characteristics associated with these kilns, but the study is hampered by the lack of authentic material from controlled excavations of the kiln sites.     

Characterization of Iron age pottery from eastern Turkey by laser- induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)

Selected pottery sherds coming from the Ayanis, Dilkaya and Karagündüz excavations in eastern Turkey and dated from the Early to Middle Iron Age were examined as regards their composition by using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The objective of the study was first to investigate the potential of the LIBS technique in the compositional analysis of pottery and further to explore correlations in spectral data, by using chemometrics methods that would possibly enable discrimination among different sherds. This work is part of a broader study aiming to examine clay variability both before and during the Urartian State period and to explore possible relationships and differences among pottery objects from fortresses and settlements or settlements and cemeteries on the basis of the clay composition of sherds. Preliminary results demonstrate that by using the LIBS technique it is possible to analyse pottery sherds in qualitative and semi-quantitative ways, providing information on the clay and slip composition. Furthermore, encouraging results have been obtained by carrying out principal component analysis (PCA) on the LIBS spectra, which suggest that in certain cases, it is possible to directly correlate spectral information with the origin of pottery sherds.     

PRE-ISLAMIC CERAMIC GLAZES AT KISH AND NINEVEH IN IRAQ

Chemical analyses (mainly by XRF) have been made of a series of glazed pottery vessels and sherds excavated from Kish and Nineveh in Iraq, manufactured between c. 600 b.c. and a.d. 600 (also a small Islamic group from Hira). The results strongly suggest, contrary to general assumption, that lead glazing was not practised in this area at this time; that the local glazing tradition persisted unchanged for 1200 years; and that the production at different periods, or at different places, can be characterized by statistically significant variations in the glaze composition.