Primers resultats de l'estudi de la ceràmica terra sigillata de Baetulo: circulació ceràmica i aportacions cronològiques a la ciutat

Les actuacions arqueologiques portades a terme des dels anys se tanta a la ciutat de Badalona, han permes posar al descobert una part important d'estructures corresponents a la ciutat romana de Baetulo. A partir d'aquestes excavacions, l' analisi específica de la ceramica terra sigillata documentada en determinats contextos estratigrafics, on aquest tipus ceramic és l'element basic de datació, ens ha permes realitzar una revisió de les cronologies proposades inicialment per a aquests estrats i per a les estructures associades. Aquesta revisió, que afecta el període que va del regnat d' August fms a epoca flavia, ha suposat la clarificació del material de terra sigillata recuperat i, en alguns casos, la modificació de la interpretació de la seqüencia estratigrafica i la se va datació

Analyzing technical choices: improving the archaeological classification of Late Republican Black Gloss pottery in north-eastern Hispania consumption centers

In order to improve archaeological classifications of Late Republican Black Gloss pottery, an assemblage from two consumption sites in north-eastern Hispania has been physicochemically characterized to identify its provenance and to gain an idea of its manufacture process. The study has been organized according to a multiphase sampling (Buxeda and Madrid 2016, 20). In the first phase, chemical characterization by means of Wavelength Dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) and mineralogical characterization by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) were performed. In the next phase, a subsample was microstructurally characterized by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), thanks to which the sintering/vitrification stage of the matrix and the gloss were determined. The combination of both disciplines, archaeology and archaeometry, enables us to identify four meaningful ceramic groups: Campanian A, Cales 1, 2, and 3. The study also allowed us to infer that all of them must be related to the Campanian region and assignable to three different chronological periods. The Campanian region thus seems to have been the primary source that supplied the settlements considered. The study also allows us to appreciate that the classification criteria used by the archaeologists working at those sites reflect the technical choices made by the potters and that, in many cases, they can only be detected and therefore interpreted by means of archaeometry

The case of Black and green tin glazed pottery from Barcelona between 13th and 14th century: analysing its production and its decorations

Black and green tin-glazed pottery is known to be one of the true majolica manufactures at Barcelona during the end of the medieval period. This pottery means the evolution of a production process for achieving opacified decorated tableware, started one century before, with the elaboration of what is known as archaic majolica. Black and green implies a new high variety of decorative motifs made in black, or in black and green, on a white opacified glaze prepared following a recipe adapted by potters to prepare the base glaze and to applicate the pigments for attaining the decorative patterns, characteristics of this period. Originally thought as imported from Valencia workshops, the development of different archaeometric projects conducted in the core of the ARQUB team, allows verifying an origin in Barcelona. Besides, recent excavations dated back to the 14th century provided a great number of Black and green sherds with new decorative motifs unknown up to now, allowing the specialists to create a new corpus of decorative patterns, which is still in progress. Based on insights obtained from those first archaeometric studies and considering the advances on the classification of decorations based on archaeological arguments, a new sample of Black and green sherds was selected for this study. The aim was to observe whether decoration and technique of manufacture could in some way be related, understanding the technical process as the selection and application of raw materials and the firing temperature at which this pottery was made. To achieve these objectives, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM-EDX) have been performed. The results allow verifying the groups previously defined and to identify a new chemical group, probably related to a recipe for the body-paste different from the others. On the other hand, the study enabled us to observe differences also in know-how in firing, which in some cases seem to be connected with differences in the decorative motives, suggesting, perhaps, the discrimination of artisans

The Mortars from rock-cut hydraulic structures of as-Sila (Sela) in Southern Jordan: Mineralogical characterization and Radiocarbon dating

One of the aims of the 2016 campaign in as-Sila was to conduct a survey in order to identify cisterns, channels and structures related to water use at the top of the settlement, using the 2015 survey map of the site as a base. The investigations have revealed a complex and sophisticated hydrological network with a great diversity of water structures (carved in the sandstone and designed for the collection, storage, transport and distribution of rainwater). All the structures have been identified and described using a total station, their location associated with the general topography of the site, and the contexts photographed. This study presents the results of recent analyses of lime-based mortars from rock-cut hydraulic structures collected during the 2016 archaeological campaign at the site of as-Sila/Sela, in the governorate of Tafilah in southern Jordan. Mineralogical and petrographic analyses were performed on 16 samples of mortars by means of x ray diffraction (XRD) and thinsection petrography (OM), and 12 AMS radiocarbon dates were taken from them. In spite of the difficulties in dating lime-based mortars and the problems inherent in the interpretation of the data, here we present the most complete analysis currently available of mortars from an archaeological site in southern Transjordan

The late medieval and early modern ceramics in the city of Córdoba (Andalusia, Spain). Christian productions under the Islamic tradition

[eng] The archaeological knowledge of the material culture in the city of Córdoba (Andalusia, Spain) during the late medieval and early modern periods is very scarce. Urban rescue excavations and archive sources evidence that the so-called Barrio de las Ollerías (potters' quarter) was the main ceramic production area from the early medieval period until the end of the early modern period. Nevertheless, there is a total lack of archaeological and archaeometric studies since research has traditionally focused on Seville city and other production centres closer to the Atlantic Coast. However, archaeological and archaeometric studies concerning Islamic pottery have increased in Córdoba in the last years, although there is a lack of studies on the late medieval and early modern ceramic production. This article aims to contribute to filling this gap through an exhaustive study of the ceramic production of Córdoba in this period. As a first objective, studying the ceramics recovered from the workshops will enable us to define the chemical reference groups (RG). The second step will be the approach to the technology used by the potters for the elaboration of the different products. With these objectives in mind, 120 individuals have been chemically characterised using x-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) and mineralogically through x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The sample includes tin-lead glazed vessels, coarse and cooking ware vessels, and storage and transport jars dated from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries

Exploring the technique of glazing used by the potters of Barcelona

The application of glazes on pottery became common in Western Europe from the late 12th century / early 13th century onwards. However, the process of 'glazing' entails different degrees of complexity which might involve a great variety of raw materials. Accordingly, simple glazing process consists of a single layer applied over the surface of the body, becoming a shiny and transparent coat after firing. The addition of pigments would result in a coloured glaze that can be translucent or even opaque. The more complicated sequence occurs in decorated glazed pottery, where opacifiers, pigments and metals are added to produce an opaque white glaze to enhance the decoration. This glaze is applied to the bisque pottery and manufactured, usually, in a second or third firing. To deepen our knowledge of the glazing technique, we have studied glazes from coarse pottery, cooking ware, polychrome coarse pottery and majolica from Barcelona (13th to 18th centuries AD). The application of the glaze, the thickness, and the composition of glazes (including opacifiers, pigments and/or metals) have been examined, through Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). This study has revealed the high diversity in the glazing technique

Black Gloss pottery from Empúries and Laietania. Origin and production techniques from its archaeometric characterization

[spa] El objetivo de este artículo es aportar nuevos datos sobre la cerámica de barniz negro tardorrepublicana distribuida en Empúries, que nos permitan avanzar en su origen, así como profundizar en aspectos relacionados con su proceso de fabricación. Para ello, y en el marco de un proyecto más amplio que incluye el análisis de diversos yacimientos de la costa catalana, se ha procedido a la caracterización arqueométrica de una muestra que incluye cerámicas clasificadas arqueológicamente como imitaciones de Campaniense A, Campaniense A, Etruscas, Cales antiguo, Cales medio y Cales tardío. Los resultados muestran que todos los individuos a priori calenos se corresponderían en realidad con producciones etrusco/laciales. Por otro lado, aquellas cerámicas clasificadas como imitaciones de Campaniense A, presentan características composicionales similares al taller de Rosas, de cronología anterior (mitad S. IV- finales S. III a.C.). En relación a las cerámicas etruscas, se puede proponer Arezzo o Volterra como posibles áreas de origen; y, finalmente, la cerámica clasificada como Campaniense A se correspondería con la fabricada en Nápoles. [spa] This article aims to contribute new data on Late Republican Black-gloss pottery distributed in Empúries, which will enable us to gain further knowledge as regards both its origin and certain aspects related to the manufacturing process. For this purpose, and within the wider framework of a project including the analysis of several sites in coastal Catalonia, the archaeometric characterization of a range of wares, including samples archaeologically classified as Campanian A imitations, Campanian A, Etruscan, Early Cales, Middle Cales and Late Cales, were performed. The results show that all the sherds a priori classified as Cales in fact correspond to wares produced in Etruria/Latium. Furthermore, those wares identified as Campanian A imitations display compositional characteristics similar to those from the Rosas workshop, of earlier date (mid 4th to late 3rd century BC). As regards the Etruscan wares, Arezzo and Volterra can be proposed as possible areas of origin; finally, the pottery classified as Campanian A belongs to the wares produced in Naples