The importance of a reliable grouping - Neutron activation analysis (NAA) data of Mycenaean pottery sherds re-evaluated with the Bonn filter method

Using the Bonn statistical procedure to form groups of samples of similar composition and hence origin, published NAA concentration data of Mycenaean pottery sherds from Mycenae and Tiryns measured in Vienna have been newly grouped and, after minor interlaboratory adjustments of a few elemental concentration values, proven to agree with well known Mycenaean patterns measured in Bonn and other laboratories. This demonstrates the importance of a good grouping procedure and also, that data from different laboratories can be used in provenance studies providing a larger reference data base.