Alterations and Contaminations in Ceramics Deposited in Underwater Environments: An Experimental Approach

Ancient ceramics recovered after a long burial period have probably undergone several alterations and contaminations, introducing a chemical variability, affecting the ceramic’s natural variability. That is, the chemical and the mineralogical compositions of the ceramic pastes after their deposition will not be the same as they originally were. Therefore, it is known that the alteration and contamination processes, and the discrimination of some elements, should be considered when studying the ceramics to avoid incorrect interpretations about their provenance, technology and the use of the artefact, as well as its proper preservation. In the present work, the authors performed an experimental approach in order to study the alterations and contaminations that occurred in 60 ceramic cylinders buried in two different underwater environments. Once the pieces were taken out from the water environments, they were characterized by a multi-analytical approach. For this purpose, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM–EDS) and Raman spectroscopy were used. Newly formed minerals of different forms have been identified, with different crystallization grades. Some examples are the needles, flakes, sponges and long and short prisms composed of several elements such as Ca, F, S and O.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the European Regional Development Fund (MINECO/AEI/ERDF, UE), grant number CERANOR-2 (HAR2017-84219-P)

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

Study, revalorization and virtual musealization of a ceramic kiln based on information gathered from old excavations

[ES] Las posibilidades actuales de visualización y difusión a través de las tecnologías digitales tienen un efecto favorable en la conservación y la puesta en valor de los restos arqueológicos depositados en los museos. Por lo tanto, deben ser consideradas como herramientas esenciales en la gestión de las colecciones y una manera de comunicarse con todo tipo de usuarios, desde los que cuentan con un elevado perfil tecnológico hasta los visitantes ocasionales. El artículo presenta un caso de estudio en el cual se ha revisado la información recogida durante una serie de excavaciones arqueológicas relativas a los restos de un horno, las cuales se realizaron en la localidad de Orduña (España) en los años 2000 y 2001. Esta información, conjuntamente con una nueva inspección de las piezas almacenadas en el Museo Arqueológico de Bizkaia, ha permitido la generación de nuevos productos -como el modelo virtual tridimensional- que ofrecen posibilidades mejoradas de estudio, comprensión y difusión de las piezas, su origen y la importancia que el oficio de la cerámica y su comercio tuvieron en el pasado.[EN] The current possibilities of virtualization and dissemination by means of digital technologies have a favourable effect on the conservation and valorization of archaeological findings held in museums. Therefore, they should be considered as essential tools in the management of the collections and a way to communicate with all kind of users, from the ones with a highly technical profile to the occasional visitors. This article presents a case in point, in which the reviewing of the information generated during a series of archaeological excavations into the remains of a kiln, conducted in the town of Orduña (Spain) in 2000 and 2001, together with a new inspection of the pieces stored in the Bizkaia Museum of Archaeology, allowed for the generation of new products such as three-dimensional virtual models that improve the possibilities of studying, understanding and disseminating the pieces, their provenance and the importance that the craft and the trade of the pottery had in the past

Study, revalorization and virtual musealization of a ceramic kiln based on information gathered from old excavations

[ES] Las posibilidades actuales de visualización y difusión a través de las tecnologías digitales tienen un efecto favorable en la conservación y la puesta en valor de los restos arqueológicos depositados en los museos. Por lo tanto, deben ser consideradas como herramientas esenciales en la gestión de las colecciones y una manera de comunicarse con todo tipo de usuarios, desde los que cuentan con un elevado perfil tecnológico hasta los visitantes ocasionales. El artículo presenta un caso de estudio en el cual se ha revisado la información recogida durante una serie de excavaciones arqueológicas relativas a los restos de un horno, las cuales se realizaron en la localidad de Orduña (España) en los años 2000 y 2001. Esta información, conjuntamente con una nueva inspección de las piezas almacenadas en el Museo Arqueológico de Bizkaia, ha permitido la generación de nuevos productos -como el modelo virtual tridimensional- que ofrecen posibilidades mejoradas de estudio, comprensión y difusión de las piezas, su origen y la importancia que el oficio de la cerámica y su comercio tuvieron en el pasado.[EN] The current possibilities of virtualization and dissemination by means of digital technologies have a favourable effect on the conservation and valorization of archaeological findings held in museums. Therefore, they should be considered as essential tools in the management of the collections and a way to communicate with all kind of users, from the ones with a highly technical profile to the occasional visitors. This article presents a case in point, in which the reviewing of the information generated during a series of archaeological excavations into the remains of a kiln, conducted in the town of Orduña (Spain) in 2000 and 2001, together with a new inspection of the pieces stored in the Bizkaia Museum of Archaeology, allowed for the generation of new products such as three-dimensional virtual models that improve the possibilities of studying, understanding and disseminating the pieces, their provenance and the importance that the craft and the trade of the pottery had in the past

Pottery making tradition in Logroño: an archaeometric approach to the Late Medieval workshops

This paper deals with the findings of Hospital Viejo site of Logroño (La Rioja, Spain), which yielded the largest evidence of local pottery production, comprising three kilns and a potters’ dump (13th–15th centuries). The study of pottery production in inland Iberia provides valuable information on the material conditions in which the Iberian medieval and post-medieval society occurred. Yet, the territory of La Rioja has been largely eclipsed by studies at coastal and southern areas of Iberia, due to their role in maritime exchange.With the aim of understanding the specific incidence and evolution of medieval pottery at regional scale, 77 sherds (MNI 637) including glazed and unglazed ware and kiln utensils were archaeometrically examined by combining the use of ICP-MS, XRD and SEM-EDS. Likewise, NAA was applied for provenance analysis, including the collation with a large majolica NAA database. The results provided the first chemical fingerprint of the production from Logroño consisting on three compositional groups within the same workshop (LOG-A, LOG-B and LOG-C). Moreover, pottery trading from Teruel and Valencia was detected, sustaining the historical records of these trade-networks. The imports showed tin lead glazes obtained by known recipes, contrasting with simpler manufactures (mostly unglazed or only lead glazed) of contemporary Logroño.DOKBERRI DOCREC19/39 (University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CERANOR-2 (HAR2017-84219-P), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad Ramon y Cajal (RYC-2014-16835), National Science Foundation grant #191277

Sevillian transport jars in early colonial America: the case of Santa María La Antigua del Darién (Colombia)

Within the scope of the TECNOLONIAL (HAR2008-02834/HIST) project, an archaeologi- cal and archaeometric research is being conduct- ed in order to clarify and systematize transport jars production in the Iberian peninsula and their distribution abroad, especially to the Americas, from the 15th to the 17th century. The production centre of Seville, in the Crown of Castile, produced large glazed and unglazed transport jars, called botijas, which were mainly devoted to the Atlantic trade network. The pres- ent study accounts for the first results obtained from an initial sample of 34 transport jars dated around the 15th-16th centuries from the produc- tion centre of Seville and the reception site of Santa María de la Antigua del Darién (gulf of Urabá, Colombia). This latter site is especially significant since it was the first Spanish founda- tion (1510) in continental America that obtained the title of town, and was the seat for the Governor of the new region called Castilla de Oro, as well as for the first diocese. All individuals were analyzed by means of x-ray fluorescence and diffraction analyses and then compared with the majolica production database from Seville. The results enabled us to define the first refer- ence groups for such modern transport jars, and to get a first insight into the jars coming to the Americas in the early 16th century whose prove- nance can be linked to Seville, but not Triana

Noves dades sobre la producció de ceràmica medieval de Barcelona. La caracterització arqueomètrica del taller del Carrer de Carders

Arran de la troballa d'un taller ceràmic al carrer de Carders de Barcelona, datat entre els segles XII i XIII, s'ha dut a terme la caracterització arqueomètrica de 31 individus per tal de definir les característiques químiques i petrogràfiques de la seva producció. A més, s'han contrastat els resultats amb els obtinguts per a l'altre taller del segle XIII conegut a la ciutat, el del carrer de l'Hospital. L'estudi ha permès de definir el grup de referència (GR) del carrer de Carders, com també indicar l'existència d"individus procedents d'aquesta excavació però que es relacionen amb la producció del carrer de l'Hospital. I a la inversa, l'existència d'individus procedents del carrer de l'Hospital que es relacionen amb el carrer de Carders. Finalment, entre els materials procedents del carrer de Carders s'han identificat dues noves produccions no conegudes anteriorment

The Ychsma ceramic provenance from Armatambo, 1250 – 1532 CE (Lima, Peru). A local or imported production?

The Ychsma society was one of the most important civilizations developed between 900 and 1532 CE in Lima, the present Peruvian capital, situated on the central coast of Peru. The Ychsma territory included the lower basin of the Rímac and Lurín valleys in the current city of Lima (Peru). Around 1470 CE, the Ychsma region was conquered and placed under the control of the Inca Empire, which ruled the region until the Spanish conquest in 1532 CE. Despite this, the Inca rule allowed local elites to maintain their position and control of the population. The archaeological site of Armatambo was an important administrative center of the Ychsma society. This site was actively occupied during the Middle Ychsma (1250–1350 CE) and Late Ychsma (1350–1532 CE) phases, and as the capital of the Sullco Curacazgo controlled a large part of the lower Rímac valley. During excavations at this site, many materials associated with ceramic production were found. One aspect crucial to the study of ceramic materials is the reconstruction of ceramic production and distribution networks, which allows us to obtain information linked to the social and economic interaction between communities. To determine the local or non-local origin of the materials found at Armatambo, 61 samples were analyzed using ICP-MS, Petrography, and SEM. The results were compared with archaeological and geological data from the Rímac valley to determine whether or not production there was local or non-local and to identify possible sources of raw materials.The authors would like to acknowledge the funding granted by IDEX-Bordeaux which allowed the realization of the doctoral project. The funding of the Euroregion Nouvelle-Aquitaine/Euskadi-Navarra for the mobility funding (Dossier n°60161). Javier G. Iñañez thanks the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for a Ramon y Cajal contract (RYC-2014-16835)

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