Compositional classes and diversity in archaeological ceramic studies

Archaeological studies are based, at a large extent, on the study of the materials that form the different unearthed assemblages. Thus, ceramic assemblages are defined by their compositions, i.e. how many pots of different types do we have. Those assemblages, are supposed to shed light on chronological issues, as well as on social issues related to the social context after which they were formed. Therefore, one of the key problems in Archaeology is the formation of the archaeological record, since any study based on the unearthed evidence will be thus necessarily conditioned. Pottery, as many other types of artefacts, rarely appears as complete vases. The activity in the systemic context (in the living societies of the past), and the activity in the archaeological one usually leads to incomplete vessels, represented by an unknown number of isolated shards. Several strategies have been proposed to overcome these problems, and they are collectively known as quantification studies (Orton, 1993). In such studies, reassembly of shards is conducted up to different extents. Besides, different principles are assumed in different quantification methods. Even so, especially in studies not devoted to pottery, some criticism have been made on the concept of taxonomical abundance, which guides quantification studies, highlighting the underpinning role of taphonomical issues (Lyman, 2004). Moreover, individuals and assemblages are in the basis of any archaeometric study, and sampling is the most crucial derived issue (Orton, 2000)

Morphometrics and compositional classes. The stuy of anthropomorphic sculptures from Teotihuacan (México)

Morphometry is defined as the measurement of the external and perceptible characteristics, i.e., in a first approximation, of the shape or morphology of an object. It includes information related to the object’s appearance as well as to its physical and diachronic constitution (Verrecchia, 2003). Morphometric studies attempt to describe this form or shape through mathematical relationships that allow numerical data, and this can be achieved in different ways. In general, tow main types of analysis can be performed whether they are or they are not based on the study of the contourn. In several instances, the actual contourn is not supposed to be really informative. Instead, elementary Euclidean geometrical measurements or the definition of significant points (landmarks or semi-landmarks), referenced in coordinates systems, are used

Chemical characterization of tin-lead glazed ceramics from Aragon (Spain) by neutron activation analysis

Majolica pottery was the most characteristic tableware produced in Spain during the Medieval and Renaissance periods. A study of the three main production centers in the historical region of Aragon during Middle Ages and Renaissance was conducted on a set of 71 samples. The samples were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), and the resulting data were interpreted using an array of multivariate statistical procedures. Our results show a clear discrimination among different production centers allowing a reliable provenance attribution of ceramic sherds from the Aragonese workshops

Las cerámicas vidriadas decoradas del Convento de San Francisco de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Una aproximación a su estudio arqueométrico.

[cas]Para el presente estudio fueron seleccionadas 41 cerámicas procedentes del fondo de El Museo Canario y correspondientes a materiales de las excavaciones arqueológicas realizadas en eí solar del antiguo convento de San Francisco de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Todos los individuos fueron analizados por fluoresceiicia de rayos X (FRX) y difracción de rayos X (DRX), complementándose el estudio analítico con una selección de cerámicas estudiadas mediante el ariálisis por activación neutro nica (AAN). Los resultados han permitido demostrar que la mayor parte de las cerámicas estudiadas presentan una proveniencia de la ciudad de Sevilla. No obstante, también se han hallado otras ceráinicas que parecen corresponder a otros centros productores, tanto españoles como italianos y portugueses. De esta manera, se demuestra la relativa heterogeneidad de las iínportaciohes cerá- micas del antiguo convento de San Francisco.[eng]In order to asses the provenance of the majolica production from the Iberian Peninsula in the Canary Island as a first step for the trade with America, a set of 41 majolica individuals has been sampled from the archaeological site of El Antiguo Convento de San Francisco (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria). Individuals have been studied by means of X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The results show an important group matching our reference group from Seville, in agreement with the historical record. Chemical data also reveals individuals whose provenance corresponds to other production centres of the Iberian Peninsula. Possible Italian and Dutch productions have also been identified. All these results confirm the relative heterogeneity of the range of imported majolica by the convent of San Francisco

Implications of burial alterations on luminescence dating of archaeological ceramics

Recent mineralogical studies on archaeological pottery samples report significant variations in alkali metal concentrations due to environmental alterations during burial. Here we examine the effects of potassium (K) leaching on luminescence dating. The effect on the estimation of the dose rate is studied by considering four models of leaching (exponential, linear, early and late) and their impact on fine- and coarse-grain dating are calculated. The modeling approaches are applied to two cases of pottery in which evidence for alteration was found. Additionally, TL dating performed on pottery of one of the studied cases, indicates the importance of leaching effects on absolute dating measurements

Chemical characterization of majolica from 14th-18th century production centers on the Iberian Peninsula: a preliminary neutron activation study

Majolica pottery is one of the most characteristic tableware produced during the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Majolica technology was introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by Islamic artisans during Medieval times, and its production and popularity rapidly spread throughout Spain and eventually to other locations in Europe and the Americas. The prestige and importance of Spanish majolica was very high. Consequently, this ware was imported profusely to the Americas during the Spanish Colonial period. Nowadays, Majolica pottery serves as an important horizon marker at Spanish colonial sites. A preliminary study of Spanish-produced majolica was conducted on a set of 246 samples from the 12 primary majolica production centers on the Iberian Peninsula. The samples were analyzed by neutron activation analysis (NAA), and the resulting data were interpreted using an array of multivariate statistical procedures. Our results show a clear discrimination between different production centers. In some cases, our data allow one to distinguish amongst shards coming from the same production location suggesting different workshops or group of workshops were responsible for production of this pre-industrial pottery

Aplicación informática al estudio de lterritorio en época antigua: centuriacionesromanas

Sin resume

Aplicación informática al estudio del territorio en época antigua: Centuriaciones Romanas

Presentamos una aplicación informática realizada en GW-BASIC para el estudio de las centuriaciones romanas, que facilita la determinación de orientaciones y módulos de centuria, así como la definición de la retícula teórica para su posterior contrastación y evaluación

Chemical characterization of tin-lead glazed ceramics from Aragon (Spain) by neutron activation analysis

Majolica pottery was the most characteristic tableware produced in Spain during the Medieval and Renaissance periods. A study of the three main production centers in the historical region of Aragon during Middle Ages and Renaissance was conducted on a set of 71 samples. The samples were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), and the resulting data were interpreted using an array of multivariate statistical procedures. Our results show a clear discrimination among different production centers allowing a reliable provenance attribution of ceramic sherds from the Aragonese workshops

Aplicación informática al estudio del territorio en época antigua: Centuriaciones Romanas

Presentamos una aplicación informática realizada en GW-BASIC para el estudio de las centuriaciones romanas, que facilita la determinación de orientaciones y módulos de centuria, así como la definición de la retícula teórica para su posterior contrastación y evaluación