NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF INCA AND COLONIAL CERAMICS FROM CENTRAL HIGHLAND ECUADOR

Fifty‐three ceramic samples were collected in the area of the colonial city of Riobamba, Ecuador (today Sicalpa/Cajabamba). Neutron activation analysis was used to attempt to establish elemental compositions, and from these gain information on the manufacturing locations of these samples. Colonial samples imported from Panama were separable by their high Cs contents, and can be sorted into glazed and unglazed industries based on As and Cs. High As concentrations in several sherds indicate an origin near Cuenca, in the Southern Highlands of Ecuador, for both colonial and Inca samples. Inca and colonial Quito samples from the north of the country are identifiable through high Na combined with low Sc and Cr concentrations. Locally produced Puruhá, unglazed colonial and majolica samples form a group indicative of local Riobamba elemental composition.     

Sherds on the Edge: Characterization of 16th Century Colonial Spanish Pottery Recovered from the Solomon Islands

We present the results of instrumental neutron activation analysis of ceramics recovered from the Solomon Islands, associated with Alvaro de Mendaña y Neira's 16th century colonizing expedition to the region (c.1595–6). Based on the chemical and typological data and previously published petrological and geochronological research, this study assigns the provenance of the ceramics variously to Peru, Panama, Spain, China and Thailand. A comparison of the provenance results with historical records related to Mendaña's voyage also shows the value of the archaeological assemblage in providing a detailed picture of provisioned ceramic types and their provenance.     

Pottery Production in the Buddhist Communities in Central Asia: The Kushan‐Sassanian Pottery Workshop of Kara Tepe (Termez,Uzbekistan)

We present the first full archaeometrical study of Kushan‐Sassanian pottery from the Buddhist monastic complexes at Kara Tepe (Termez, Uzbekistan), recovered both in the pottery workshop and in the monastery, using a combination of analytical methods (XRF, XRD, SEM–EDS and OM). The study allowed the identification of the reference group, the correspondent fabric, the raw materials used for its productions, some of the technological processes involved in manufacture and several weathering processes. All the results confirm that the kiln was supplying the religious community of the monastery with pottery, made using local raw materials, and highlight the possibility that the kiln could have supplied the nearby monastic complexes, where no kilns have been found. Further archaeological evidence indicates the existence of specialized potters working itinerantly at the broader Bactrian area.     

NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF ROMAN AFRICAN RED SLIP WARE KILNS

Roman African Red Slip ware (ARS) sherds from four ARS kiln sites in modern-day Tunisia (El Mahrine, El Ala, Oudna and Pheradi Maius) have been analysed using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Multivariate statistical methods (including cluster analysis and Manhattan City Block distances), with a dilution correction applied to the data, were used to interpret the concentration data. Reference groups for each of the four kiln sites were established. Both El Mahrine and Oudna were described by two dilution-related groups. These kiln groups were all shown to be compositionally distinct from each other and suitable for use in provenance studies.     

PROVENANCE STUDIES OF ROMAN AFRICAN RED SLIP WARE USING NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS

African Red Slip ware (ARS) from Carthage and San Sisto Vecchio (Rome) was analysed by neutron activation analysis. The Carthage tableware was linked with Oudna and the type 1 lamps were probably from a northern ARS/lamp factory other than the sources currently investigated. Two samples were central Tunisian, probably manufactured at El Ala. The San Sisto samples divided into three groups and three outliers of undetermined provenance. Group 1 was central Tunisian, probably from El Ala, and was composed entirely of terra sigillata chiara C forms. Group 2 was of unknown origin within northern Tunisia. Group 3 was the largest subset and most of its constituent samples were associated with El Mahrine. Additionally, four samples were linked with Oudna.