Maiolica Arcaica

In this archaeometric research potsherds from Kavuşan Höyük (a mound located in the upper Tigris valley) representing the Metallic Ware, a diagnostic ceramic group mostly found in north Mesopotamia was characterized using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques in order to differ the imitated ones, if exist, to reveal the production technologies and compare the results with the previous archaeometric works concerning Metallic Ware. For this purpose, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy, polarized energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence, X‐ray diffraction, and micro‐Raman spectroscopy were used. Two groups were specified as the calcareous “imitations” and the dominant noncalcareous ware as the real ones. The results suggested that the noncalcareous ware of Kavuşan was presumably not produced with the possible clay deposits mentioned in previous studies, which focused on the provenance investigation of a wide range of Metallic War...

“Storie (di) Ceramiche” è una giornata di studi dedicata alla memoria di Graziella Berti, studiosa di ceramica e figura importante per gli studi storici sulla Pisa medievale e moderna, venuta a mancare l’11 Giugno del 2013.
Questa occasione, giunta alla sua settima edizione, vuole ricordarla nella maniera che lei stessa avrebbe apprezzato di più: attraverso i temi a lei cari, l’innovazione della ricerca e le nuove generazioni di studiosi.

La settima edizione, svoltasi online a sette anni dalla scomparsa della studiosa il 29 Ottobre 2020 in diretta streaming su Facebook e YouTube a causa della pandemia COVID-19, è stata dedicata al tema dei “Bacini Ceramici” posti sulle facciate di edifici religiosi e civili. Poiché negli ultimi anni le ricerche riguardanti i Bacini ceramici hanno registrato un rallentamento, si è scelto di dedicare l’edizione 2020 per rilanciare questa tipologia di studi e tornare anche alle origini degli interessi che hanno avvicinato Graziella Berti alla ceramologia.

Le ricerche contenute in questo volume, di largo respiro, riguardano sia interventi di sintesi che specifici casi di studio, consentendo la lettura del fenomeno dei Bacini ceramici in ambito mediterraneo, ma anche più a largo raggio, con cronologie di utilizzo e riproposizione che giungono sino all’epoca contemporanea. Se è vero che la maggior parte degli interventi trattano i Bacini italiani, spaziando in varie aree della penisola e delle isole tirreniche e focalizzando l’attenzione su alcune regioni dove il fenomeno era maggiormente diffuso, non mancano analisi che indagano altri Paesi quali la Spagna e le coste dello Swaili.

The focus of this work is the archaeometric investigation of a high quality ceramic typical of the Indo-Iranian
Borderlands in ca. 3300‒2900 BCE. Variously labelled as “Emir Grey” and “Late Shahi Tump” ware, this fine
grey ceramic is often considered an elite or prestige product on account of its very thin walls, fine fabric, and
painted designs. In the present paper, thin-section petrography, XRD, and SEM-EDX analyses were carried out on
a selection of pottery pieces from the burial contexts at the Chegerdak cemetery of Iranshahr (Baluchestan, Iran).
The results shed new light on the production and circulation of the pottery. Most notably, it potentially extended
the map of its production centers to western Iranian Baluchestan.

A group of traditional pottery workshops in Sichuan Province, China, produce a unique coal-clay composite ceramic that is fired using a similarly unique kiln design and two-stage firing procedure not seen in any other ceramic tradition. Here we report on field and laboratory efforts to better understand this unusual ceramic material and technology, the functional advantages as cookware, braziers, and large storage vessels that include high strength and high thermal shock resistance, and the cultural context that supported the creativity and experimentation needed to develop such an innovative technology.

In a period spanning from the 7th to the 1st century BC, the exterior surfaces of civil and sacred buildings in Italy were mainly decorated with terracottas. The aim of this study is to determine the skills and technological level reached by ancient manufacturers of painted ceramics from the sanctuary of Hercules in the archaeological site of Alba Fucens (Abruzzo, Central Italy). A multi-analytical approach including X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), µ-Raman and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) was applied to determine the mineralogical composition of terracotta samples and to identify the pigments decorating the ceramics. The studied terracottas were decorated using valuable pigments such as Egyptian blue as well as a palette of colors common in the Roman period from the 3rd to the 1st century BC. The mineralogical composition of the ceramics allows estimating a firing temperature lower than 800 °C. Finally, a local origin of raw materials is suggested by the presence of alluvial ...

The current work describes the different methods used to investigate various potsherds. The potsherds were discovered at the Abusir archaeological site, dating back to the Old Kingdom period. This research aims to study the chemical and mineralogical composition of the potsherds and salt crystallization. For this purpose, the analytical study was carried out using different techniques such as a digital and polarizing microscope, a scanning electron microscope equipped with an X-ray energy dispersion unit (EDX), and x-ray diffraction. Microscopic examination shows that potsherds suffer from different deterioration aspects, such as salt crystallization, accumulation of dust, and black spots. The results of the polarized microscope proved that sand, grog powder, and calcite were used as additive materials to improve clay's properties. The EDX and XRD methods used in the current work provide an essential chemical view of the structure of the samples. The results of EDX confirmed the presence of a high percentage of chloride salts, iron, and aluminium oxides. XRD results revealed that the firing temperature of the potsherds is high, around 850-950 oC. Therefore, the hardness of these sherds is high. There is little doubt that this will aid in conserving this valuable pottery.

The present study wants to identify the making technique of an early historic pottery type of Bangladesh and for this research potshard samples were collected from archaeological excavated site with documented stratigraphic data. The used method for analysis is known as ‘Polished thin-section’ which is now commonly using for petrographic analysis in modern world. Another important aspect for this archaeological analysis is experiment to reproduction of the same quality object, and present research did successful replication of an early historic pottery of Bangladesh known as ‘Northern Black Polished ware’ or NBPW. Archaeological pottery analysis with modern scientific method is still faces challenges in Bangladesh because lack of proper knowledge and absence of modern equipped laboratory. Prepared Thin-section petrography from collected samples shows that NBPW of Bangladesh has possess thin polished surface of multi-layered coating. The practical experiments were successful by achie...

Wall tile panels were commonly used in recreational open outdoors spaces of 18th Century noble houses, the nature of their location and the lack of maintenance of such spaces, which lost their purpose during the 20th century, contributed to the natural deterioration of such panels. The need to preserve such an integrated patrimony resulted in the removal of such panels and its laboratorial conservation treatment in the facilities of the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar. The interest in studying this particular panel involved the advanced stages of deterioration observed in some tiles, where natural succession of biological colonisation and weathering are registered as some of the main deterioration causes. Furthermore, advanced deterioration stages indicate that removal was a necessary action, as natural weathering would lead to its destruction. The study involved a thorough analysis of the environmental characteristics of the wall placement, the wall materials themselves, the mortar,...

This paper explores the characterization of six potsherd samples from Udayagiri, India. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscope coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray system (SEM-EDX) were used for the determination of the mineralogical, chemical and microstructural analysis of potsherd samples. RO, R2O3 and RO2 were deduced from chemical composition data using Seger molecular formula. Present study also emphasis on the investigation of different methodical approach in terms of firing temperature, clay mineral type and tempering material in the pottery making process of that era. The uses of a siliceous or non-calcareous raw material are probably related to the specific utilization of the pottery in ancient time. The presence of specific minerals in the pottery matrix indicates the practice of local clay mineral. The flux amount reflects of higher firing temperatures, while clay composition provides the information to understand pro...

Production technologies of Roman to Medieval times bricks on the city of Padua were addressed by means of a multi-analytical approach, consisting in Spectrophotometry, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Powder X-Ray Diffraction (PXRD), Polarized Optical Microscopy (POM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM- EDS). The Early-Christian (5-6 th centuries) and Romanesque (12-13 th centuries) areas of the Basilica of Saint Justine of Padua (5/6-16 th centuries), and the remains of the Roman necropolis (1-3/4 th centuries) still preserved under the basilica, were selected to collect the bricks in order to define possible differences between the materials used for the various building phases. The walls are mainly shaped by yellow (with pale and dark hue) and beige colored bricks with an overall good conservation state. The ceramic bodies of this type of bricks showed the development of high-temperature phases but a low sintering degree was achieved. Moreover, secondary phases such as zeolites and calcite were formed, within almost the pale-yellow bodies and intensively precipitated through the groundmass of the beige bricks, respectively. Mg-rich calcareous clays and chloritic-illitic clays were used, firing temperatures of or over 900 °C were reached and more porous ceramic bodies were produced when higher was the carbonate content on the raw clays. A lesser carbonate content of the base clays and/or the decrease in the firing temperatures were the main technological modifications progressively accomplished, leading to color changes on the ceramic bodies from yellow to beige hue. The Roman production technologies might be largely inherited by the brick makers during the Late Antiquity and Medieval times in the city and the reuse of more an- cient bricks during the Medieval Times was confirmed. Such reuse operations have allowed to observe that under high humid conditions the yellow hue bricks have been rather good preserved, while when exposed to insolation and fluctuations of the environmental conditions a significant granular disaggrega- tion -with the concomitance darkening of the color pastes- is developed. The color of bricks may entail an identifier of a specific construction period of the city and durable bricks from local clays, especially suitable for high humidity areas and that may preserve the aesthetical values of the city of Padua, may be currently produced.

Skarn deposits are one of the most abundant mineral deposits in the earth's crust and are formed within rocks of almost all ages. The term skarn is defined as a relatively simple rock whose mineralogy mainly includes calcium-silicate minerals such as garnet and pyroxene. The formation of skarns and their relationship with magmatic rocks represent a topic of primary geological interest as these rocks are often associated with the main mineral deposits for the extraction of Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, Ag, Sn and Mo.
In this framework, the present thesis work aims to contribute to the knowledge of the chemistry and emplacement processes of the magmatic rocks of Campiglia Marittima to which the skarns and mineralizations are associated, cultivated since the Etruscan era. For the purposes of this work, the analysis of a mining survey was essential, to investigate the trend of skarn bodies and igneous rocks in depth. The skarns of the “D16” old survey are characterized in great abundance by alternating hedenbergite-ilvaite strata, with variable abundances; overall, the massive ilvaite facies is predominant with respect to the fibrous hedenbergite facies.
Sulphide mineralizations are mainly concentrated in massive ilvaite levels and are generally dominated by an association of the pyrite+chalcopyrite+pyrrhotite type, in addition to sphalerite+galena, always associated but not always present. In relation to the skarns, magmatic rocks (mafic porphyry) were analysed, while in the central part of the borehole a reduced thickness breccia (<1 m) was observed, which was interpreted as a breccia of sedimentary origin.
The following paper aims to provide a contribution to the knowledge of the magmatic rocks and skarns of Campiglia Marittima, however it represents only a starting point, which will have to be followed by further studies, to carry on scientific research in the Campiglia Marittima region.

Ceramics are particularly well suited for investigating general patterns of the distribution of premodern products. Archaeometric methods, used to determine raw materials and production techniques, permit the identification of places of production. The work of the research group presented here pursues two objectives: (i) to investigate the usefulness of portable X-ray fluorescence equipment for the analysis of ceramics and (ii) to identify, interpret and study distribution areas of ceramic products in comparative prospective. The paper discusses key economic concepts, sets out the archaeometric methodology and presents initial results in the context of two examples.

The Mosteiro de Alcobaça (Alcobaça Monastery, founded in 1153) was built to the image of Clairvaux Abbey, founded by the Cistercian abbot St. Bernard. In many ways Alcobaça mirrored the original concepts of the Cistercian Order, with an austere architectural style and shedding signs of richness. The glazed tiles found on the pavement of the deambulatory and some adjacent chapels are some of the first examples of lead-tin glazes in Christian Portugal. For the first time, these tiles were analytically characterized, to determine their chemical composition, production technology and decoration technique. The analytical techniques used were μ-PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission), SEM-EDS (scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry), and μ-Raman spectroscopy

Technical art-historical archival sources can be invaluable for our knowledge and understanding of the origin and preparation of materials as well as the production techniques used to make ceramic objects. The information provided could also aid our understanding of the factors that influence susceptibility for degradation as well as provide details which could aid provenance studies. Most early written technical sources on tin-glaze production are in the form of treatises written by educated observers rather than the potters themselves. Also, while being of significant comparative interest, such treatises are not directly related to either Dutch tin glaze or tile production. Luckily a number of 17th and 18th century primary written sources and archival records dating as far back as 1620 have survived in the Netherlands in the form of recipe books, kiln records and legal documents that contain information directly relating to tin-glaze tile production. These documents provide insigh...