Pre-Hispanic ceramics analyzed using PIXE and radiographic techniques (original) (raw)
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Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 1999
A combined analysis of IBA techniques (Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS)) and a complementary study by X-ray Diraction (XRD) were performed to characterize pottery corresponding to the Epiclassic period (A.D. 700±900) from Teotihuacan, Mexico. Elemental compositions of pottery samples were measured by simultaneous PIXE and RBS using 2.6 MeV protons. Red, white and brown pottery pigments were studied by non-vacuum PIXE and a proton beam of 3 MeV. The various mineralogical phases of the pottery were identi®ed by XRD. From pottery elemental compositions and its mineralogical phases, some dierences among the pottery samples and groups were established. Ó
2010
Abstract. Ceramic potshards collected at the archaeological Mayan site of Lagartero, Chiapas, Mexico were analyzed by NAA and data were statistically studied. The ceramics were of local manufacture and from other sites of the Upper Grijalva Basin and Guatemalan Lowlands and Highlands. XRD indicated that quartz, feldspars, mont-morillonite and calcite are the main components of pastes. Pigments were analyzed by means of SEM and XRD, and hematite, pyrolusite, maghemite and calcite were identified. A discussion is presented in the context of the Mayan region.
Journal of the Mexican Chemical Society
Ceramic potshards collected at the archaeological Mayan site of Lagartero, Chiapas, Mexico were analyzed by NAA and data were statistically studied. The ceramics were of local manufacture and from other sites of the Upper Grijalva Basin and Guatemalan Lowlands and Highlands. XRD indicated that quartz, feldspars, montmorillonite and calcite are the main components of pastes. Pigments were analyzed by means of SEM and XRD, and hematite, pyrolusite, maghemite and calcite were identified. A discussion is presented in the context of the Mayan region.
Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, 2016
A complete visual, mineralogical, textural, chemical and statistical study is presented of thirty ceramic specimens recovered from various Roman archaeological sites in central Spain (Ávila). Therefore, the novelty of this work is that we report the first complete study of pottery fragments in the Ávila region (Castile and Leon, Spain) dating back to the Roman Empire. Potential/local raw materials were characterised, in order to classify ancient pottery samples by origin. The presence of firing minerals in the ancient ceramic samples was studied, to investigate the technology used in their manufacture. Another innovation of this article is that the statistical study has established links between ceramic samples, shedding further light on knowledge of manufacturing techniques in this region during the Roman Empire. Similar materials were identified in most of the ceramic pieces from the archaeological sites, all present in the local geological environment, which underlines their autochthonous origin. The raw materials were initially chosen on the basis of the final use of the sample (typology of the samples: Terra sigillata hispanica, common pottery and tegulae). The samples were manufactured within three different temperature ranges (temperature > 900Cº, between 900 – 800ºC and between 800– 600ºC) and under three different redox environments (oxidizing, reduction and irregular conditions). Non-plastic inclusions were added, intentionally or otherwise, to the initial clay, depending on the final typology of the sample
X-Radiography of Archaeological Ceramics
The Oxford Handbook of Archaeological Ceramic Analysis, 2017
This chapter summarizes the history, theory and methodology of ceramic X-radiography. Particular emphasis is placed upon the two most common uses of ceramic X-radiography, namely the identification of forming techniques and the characterization of clay fabrics. Practical considerations are offered for the choice of X-ray set-ups, exposure parameters, digitization, image enhancement, analysis and interpretation of the resulting X-ray. The chapter concludes with three case studies that demonstrate the great value of this technique and its potential to help illuminate many socio-cultural dimensions of ancient pottery production. The authors emphasize that deep understanding of the theoretical and practical dimensions of this technique are an essential foundation for subsequent interpretation.
APPLICATION OF X-RADIOGRAPHY IN UNDERSTANDING ANCIENT CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY
Indian History Congress Proceedings, 71st Session, 2010
The technique of ceramics manufacturing involves a series of processes in different stages of making. However, the finished products do not reveal all these modalities unless tested scientifically. Application of radiography in understanding ceramic technology is one of the many scientific methods used in ceramic study. A preliminary attempt has been made by the author in this paper to introduce this technique and eradicate the speculative and descriptive approach to ceramics in India. The paper focuses on understanding the manufacturing technology of two Chalcolithic Ahar culture ceramics such as Tan ware and Thin Red ware of Balathal, which are considered to be mostly made on wheels.
Heritage Science, 2016
The famous archaeological site of San José de Moro (SJM) located in the Jequetepeque Valley (JV) represents one of the best-preserved pre-Columbian Mochica cemeteries uncovered along the north coast of Peru. SJM was a regional ritual centre where elites and the general population of all JV met to celebrate ceremonial events. Its role as a place of regional integration and coordination continued long after the disappearance of the Mochica and SJM was continuously occupied throughout the Late Mochica Period (8th-9th c. AD) and into the Transitional Period (9th-10th c. AD). Even though the abandonment of Mochica traditions in SJM (funerary practices and ceramic styles) appears quite rapid, SJM was constantly occupied whereby local traditions were being reshaped. During this time various styles of ritual ceramics from different traditions (Mochica, Cajamarca and Wari) were buried within ceremonial and funerary contexts. This research involves archaeometric studies of excavated painted diagnostic ceramic sherds representing four distinctive pre-Columbian typologies present at this site-Mochica fineline bichrome, Mochica fineline polychrome, coastal Cajamarca and Highland Cajamarca ceramics. For this study handheld portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (HHpXRF) instrumentation was operated in situ in order to (1) perform non-destructive trace element analysis (2) to assess if Cajamarca ceramics were further elaborated using the same raw materials employed by the Mochica potters of SJM, and (3) to establish whether or not Mochica and Cajamarca ceramics were truly technological markers in the lower part of the Jequetepeque valley. Results: The chemical elements detected in the ceramic bodies by the portable technique and used for this analysis were: K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn, Ga, As, Rb, Sr and Y. All sherds that were identified as aesthetically different also differed chemically with the exception of the Mochica fineline bichrome and the Mochica fineline polychrome, which were produced in a coastal workshop using the same local raw materials. In addition, these sherds were not elaborated employing the same recipe used in the Coastal and Highland Cajamarca productions. Conclusions: Mochica ceramic productions are stylistically and chemically different from both Coastal and Highland Cajamarca productions. Ceramics from San José de Moro are technological markers of two cultures (Mochica and Cajamarca) in the lower part of the Jequetepeque Valley that interacted during Late Mochica and through the Transitional periods.
Portable X-rays Fluorescence (pXRF) represents one of the most effective tools for in situ, non-destructive elemental analysis, which has a valuable application in the study of ceramic production. However, whilst the qualitative assessment of the composition of artefacts is reliable, the quantitative analysis can be biased by some limitations, due to instrumental features or materials properties. The analysis of ceramic materials is particularly challenging due to the lack of representative calibrations and standards, as well as the low density and poor homogeneity of samples. In this contribution, a method is proposed to fingerprint a ceramic production through pXRF analysis. At the site of Montelabate (Perugia) in central Italy four kilns were excavated revealing a production of amphorae. This site was therefore selected as a suitable case study for fingerprinting a ceramic production. After qualitative analysis, representative calibration standards were created based on different commercial clays and feldspars. These can help overcoming the well-known matrix effect, both physical and chemical, and may offer a representative and reproducible standard to be used in different laboratories. Alongside the precise assessment of composition, the possibility to fingerprint a production was also assessed using a different method, based on the intensity ratio between selected elements. The relevant elements were chosen based on their correlation and non-correlation. Correlated elements were attributed to the raw clay used for ceramic production and non-correlated elements were attributed to the specific fabric recipe. Accordingly , some benchmarks to identify the clays and fabric used in the site of Montelabate were identified. Amphorae found at other ancient commercial sites in the area of Rome were therefore also compared with these benchmarks in order to assess their provenience.
Archeological ceramic paste material typically consists of a mix of a clay matrix and various millimeter and sub-millimeter sized mineral inclusions. Micro X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a standard compositional classification tool and in this work we propose and demonstrate an improved fluorescence map processing protocol where the mineral inclusions are automatically separated from the clay matrix to allow independent statistical analysis of the two parts. Application of this protocol allowed us to enhance the discrimination between different ceramic shards compared with the standard procedure of working with only the spatially averaged elemental concentrations. Using the new protocol, we performed an initial compositional classification of a set of 83 ceramic shards from the western slopes of the south central Andean region in the Arica y Parinacota region (Chile). Comparing the classifications obtained using the new versus the old (average concentrations only) protocols, we found that some samples were erroneously classified with the old protocol. From an archaeological perspective, a broad and heterogeneous regional sample set was used in this experimental study due to the fact that this was the first such analysis to be performed on ceramics from this region. This allowed a general overview to be obtained, however further work on more specific sample sets will be necessary to extract concrete archaeological conclusions.