Study on Late Bronze Age Potteries of Shahrak-e Firouzeh, Neyshabur, Iran by XRD and XRF

Abstract

During excavations of the Shahrake Firouzeh site, much evidence of the Bactria Margiana Archaeological Complex or Amu Darya Civilization has been found. Such evidence is spread across northern Iran, northern Afghanistan, eastern Turkmenistan, southern Uzbekistan, and western Tajikistan. In the present study, pottery samples from the Firoozeh town area were studied using XRD and XRF methods. Using the XRF method and Dplot Software, 15 samples were studied and the data evaluated by analyzing the ratio of various components. The results of the study show that the dominant clay source of the pottery samples existed in the same region, while two other clay subsources from adjoining regions were also identified. IANSA 2018 ● IX/1 ● Online First Mohammad Hossein Rezaei, Hassan Basafa, Parasto Masjedi Khak, Mahya Azar: Study on Late Bronze Age Potteries of Shahrak-e Firouzeh, Neyshabur, Iran by XRD and XRF Online First In this regard, such use of laboratory methods and techniques enables more accurate and reliable results to be obtained. There exist several techniques for the identification of the materials and elements that form archaeological findings and through which a broader range of knowledge and understanding of the rocks, pottery, their material, application, history, age, style, identity, origin, manufacturing process and technology used, source, and trade routes utilised, can be gained. Laboratory research on the physical characteristics of prehistoric pottery is one of the efficient non-descriptive methods that aim to identify such technical features as method of production, the presence or absence of vegetation, type of soil grading, type of tempering, and the quality of baking; moreover, the empty spaces in the body of the clay, which is related to the general quality of the clay, can be determined (Talayi, Yari, and Taqizoqi, 2009).