By combing and analyzing ancient literature, archaeological data, and test data, this paper systematically explores the origin, material, and development of the sagger firing process in ancient China. Saggers were first recorded in Tao Ji (Records on Ceramic) written by Jiang Qi in the Southern Song Dynasty. The word sagger was coined by Song Yingxing in Tian Gong Kai Wu of the Ming Dynasty. The development of saggers can be divided into three stages: the germination stage of the bowls and jars of saggers before the Eastern Jin Dynasty; the initial stage of perforated saggers from the late Eastern Jin Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty; and the development and maturity period of various saggers after the Sui Dynasty. The raw material recipe has gone from a single-component formula using refractory mud, clay, and other raw materials; to a two-component formula with clay as the matrix mixed with quartz sand or white clay; to multi-component formulas including white clay, black clay, and black and yellow sand. Loading and firing have undergone an evolution, from nested firing to single-box upward firing, to a combination of inner and outer boxes, and finally to branch ring covering firing. The evolution of saggar materials and firing methods reflects the improvement of saggar performance, which improves both the output and quality of ceramics.
{"title":"The origin and development of Chinese ceramic saggers","authors":"Junming Wu, Chao Lei, Yimei Jiang, Riqin Shan, Jinxia Hai, Xiaoyan Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2024.100028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2024.100028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>By combing and analyzing ancient literature, archaeological data, and test data, this paper systematically explores the origin, material, and development of the sagger firing process in ancient China. Saggers were first recorded in <em>Tao Ji</em> (Records on Ceramic) written by Jiang Qi in the Southern Song Dynasty. The word <em>sagger</em> was coined by Song Yingxing in <em>Tian Gong Kai Wu</em> of the Ming Dynasty. The development of saggers can be divided into three stages: the germination stage of the bowls and jars of saggers before the Eastern Jin Dynasty; the initial stage of perforated saggers from the late Eastern Jin Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty; and the development and maturity period of various saggers after the Sui Dynasty. The raw material recipe has gone from a single-component formula using refractory mud, clay, and other raw materials; to a two-component formula with clay as the matrix mixed with quartz sand or white clay; to multi-component formulas including white clay, black clay, and black and yellow sand. Loading and firing have undergone an evolution, from nested firing to single-box upward firing, to a combination of inner and outer boxes, and finally to branch ring covering firing. The evolution of saggar materials and firing methods reflects the improvement of saggar performance, which improves both the output and quality of ceramics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100028"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144290889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.aia.2025.100056
S. Lycourghiotis , N.A. Kalapodis , P.A. Kakavas-Papaniaros , I. Iliopoulos , E. Mantzana
This study provides a detailed physicochemical characterization of historical mortar from a nineteenth-century church in Ilia, near ancient Olympia (Peloponnese, Greece), a monument of high cultural and architectural significance currently undergoing restoration planning. Mortar samples were examined using polarized optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance, thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, microelectrophoresis, and equilibrium pH measurements of mortar–water suspensions. The analyses confirm that the material is a lime-based mortar with predominantly calcareous aggregates and minor aluminosilicate and iron-bearing phases. Petrographic observations revealed rounded aggregates of varying sizes, shrinkage cracks, and a layered binder microstructure that generates meso and macroporosity. This pore network facilitates capillary moisture rise, causing binder depletion and progressive deterioration, particularly in lower masonry sections. Surface chemistry data indicate a low electrical surface charge and slight acidity, suggesting limited vulnerability to direct corrosion from atmospheric pollutants such as SO₂ and NOx. These results underline the importance of using compatible repair mortars that replicate the texture, porosity, and composition of the original material, alongside moisture-management interventions at the masonry base. Petrographic and mineralogical evidence further associates the aggregates with nearby Gavrovo-Tripolis geotectonic formations, providing a local source reference for restoration materials. Combining GIS analysis with scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data also demonstrates that mortars used in the surrounding region during the same period share similar characteristics. To our knowledge, this is the first study to apply electrophoretic mobility and equilibrium pH measurements to historical mortars, offering novel insight into their surface properties. By integrating traditional mineralogical and petrographic techniques with advanced surface chemistry analyses, this work sheds light on the deterioration mechanisms of historic masonry mortars and delivers a comprehensive framework to guide the conservation and restoration of heritage structures.
{"title":"Physicochemical characterization and a GIS analysis of the historical mortar of the masonry concerning a nineteenth-century monument","authors":"S. Lycourghiotis , N.A. Kalapodis , P.A. Kakavas-Papaniaros , I. Iliopoulos , E. Mantzana","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100056","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100056","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study provides a detailed physicochemical characterization of historical mortar from a nineteenth-century church in Ilia, near ancient Olympia (Peloponnese, Greece), a monument of high cultural and architectural significance currently undergoing restoration planning. Mortar samples were examined using polarized optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance, thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, microelectrophoresis, and equilibrium pH measurements of mortar–water suspensions. The analyses confirm that the material is a lime-based mortar with predominantly calcareous aggregates and minor aluminosilicate and iron-bearing phases. Petrographic observations revealed rounded aggregates of varying sizes, shrinkage cracks, and a layered binder microstructure that generates meso and macroporosity. This pore network facilitates capillary moisture rise, causing binder depletion and progressive deterioration, particularly in lower masonry sections. Surface chemistry data indicate a low electrical surface charge and slight acidity, suggesting limited vulnerability to direct corrosion from atmospheric pollutants such as SO₂ and NOx. These results underline the importance of using compatible repair mortars that replicate the texture, porosity, and composition of the original material, alongside moisture-management interventions at the masonry base. Petrographic and mineralogical evidence further associates the aggregates with nearby Gavrovo-Tripolis geotectonic formations, providing a local source reference for restoration materials. Combining GIS analysis with scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data also demonstrates that mortars used in the surrounding region during the same period share similar characteristics. To our knowledge, this is the first study to apply electrophoretic mobility and equilibrium pH measurements to historical mortars, offering novel insight into their surface properties. By integrating traditional mineralogical and petrographic techniques with advanced surface chemistry analyses, this work sheds light on the deterioration mechanisms of historic masonry mortars and delivers a comprehensive framework to guide the conservation and restoration of heritage structures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100056"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145467017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.aia.2025.100054
Xinyuan Su , Zhanhui Peng , Tao Tan , Huifang Liu , Huiping Xing , Baoying Liu , Xiaolian Chao
Historical information is preserved in cultural artifacts, particularly pottery, and scientific techniques are crucial for uncovering their past. This study presents a multi-method interdisciplinary analysis of painted pottery from the Banpo site of the Yangshao culture. Element profiles and XPS analyses reveal that variations in trivalent iron content, responsible for different hues, are due to diverse firing atmospheres during the kiln’s stack firing rather than the use of a masking layer or different clay types. XRD analysis revealed that the ceramic body was primarily composed of quartz and feldspar. SEM-EDS indicates that black regions at the pottery’s base resulted from carbon penetration, likely due to its use as cooking utensils. Pigment analysis shows the red pigment is mainly ocher, the black pigment is a symbiotic combination of pyrolusite and magnetite, and the white pigment is calcite. Thermal expansion analysis confirms that the pottery was fired at around 1010 °C, with color differences attributed to the kiln atmosphere rather than firing temperature, supporting a single firing process. This research provides essential data for enhancing our understanding of Banpo painted pottery, offering valuable insights into its production and usage.
{"title":"Comprehensive analysis and study of the stratification phenomena of painted pottery unearthed from the Banpo site in China","authors":"Xinyuan Su , Zhanhui Peng , Tao Tan , Huifang Liu , Huiping Xing , Baoying Liu , Xiaolian Chao","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100054","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100054","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Historical information is preserved in cultural artifacts, particularly pottery, and scientific techniques are crucial for uncovering their past. This study presents a multi-method interdisciplinary analysis of painted pottery from the Banpo site of the Yangshao culture. Element profiles and XPS analyses reveal that variations in trivalent iron content, responsible for different hues, are due to diverse firing atmospheres during the kiln’s stack firing rather than the use of a masking layer or different clay types. XRD analysis revealed that the ceramic body was primarily composed of quartz and feldspar. SEM-EDS indicates that black regions at the pottery’s base resulted from carbon penetration, likely due to its use as cooking utensils. Pigment analysis shows the red pigment is mainly ocher, the black pigment is a symbiotic combination of pyrolusite and magnetite, and the white pigment is calcite. Thermal expansion analysis confirms that the pottery was fired at around 1010 °C, with color differences attributed to the kiln atmosphere rather than firing temperature, supporting a single firing process. This research provides essential data for enhancing our understanding of Banpo painted pottery, offering valuable insights into its production and usage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100054"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145099341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.aia.2025.100055
S. Ivanov , I. Kovalev , Th. Rehren
Apart from palatial and military archaeological contexts, the Kom Tuman sector of ancient Memphis features an industrial area formed by several high-temperature production and processing workshops of different specializations, operating from the Late period (ca. 664 BCE–ca. 332 BCE) to Hellenistic and Roman times. The study of crucible fragments from these workshops identified a range of coexisting activities, including glass working and metalworking, as well as the primary production of Egyptian blue pigment. This paper provides evidence for these high-temperature industries, discussing both their respective produce and the technical ceramics employed. Analysis of the latter showed that craftspeople in Kom Tuman deliberately selected different types of clay to better fit the requirement of high-temperature production. Both glass and Egyptian blue industries employed crucibles made of calcareous fabric with an external Nile silt coating, while metallurgical activities relied on the use of Nile silt fabric only. Evidence for pottery production is conspicuously absent from these workshops, while evidence for local faience production is very limited.
{"title":"Technical ceramics from late period to Roman Kom Tuman (Memphis), Egypt, reveal collocation of multiple high-temperature industries","authors":"S. Ivanov , I. Kovalev , Th. Rehren","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Apart from palatial and military archaeological contexts, the Kom Tuman sector of ancient Memphis features an industrial area formed by several high-temperature production and processing workshops of different specializations, operating from the Late period (ca. 664 BCE–ca. 332 BCE) to Hellenistic and Roman times. The study of crucible fragments from these workshops identified a range of coexisting activities, including glass working and metalworking, as well as the primary production of Egyptian blue pigment. This paper provides evidence for these high-temperature industries, discussing both their respective produce and the technical ceramics employed. Analysis of the latter showed that craftspeople in Kom Tuman deliberately selected different types of clay to better fit the requirement of high-temperature production. Both glass and Egyptian blue industries employed crucibles made of calcareous fabric with an external Nile silt coating, while metallurgical activities relied on the use of Nile silt fabric only. Evidence for pottery production is conspicuously absent from these workshops, while evidence for local faience production is very limited.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100055"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145467016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.aia.2025.100043
Wei Liu , Pengyu Zhang , Yuliang Zhao , Na Wu
Archaeological bronze artifacts are often found in fragmented or damaged states during excavation, necessitating restoration before they can be displayed in exhibitions. However, many early restoration works lack detailed documentation, posing significant challenges for museum conservators and scientists who want to reanalyze these restored artifacts. Reconstructing past restoration processes via scientific analysis is becoming a fundamental job. Previous studies on restoration materials and techniques for bronze artifacts have mostly relied on micro-analytical and invasive techniques, which are limited in providing comprehensive restoration information about artifacts as a whole. The present study employed imaging techniques, including macro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray radiography, and ultraviolet-induced visible luminescence imaging, in combination with Raman spectroscopy and fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy, to investigate two bronze artifacts dated to the early Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BCE) in the collection of the National Museum of China. The results indicated that one of the artifacts, a bronze vessel (yan), exhibited extensive surface cracks and a large missing piece, which had been repaired using a copper plate joined with tin-lead soldering. Both artifacts showed evidence of surface retouching with pigments such as lithopone, lazurite, phthalocyanine blue, barium white, and chrome yellow. Lithopone, in particular, helps researchers estimate the restoration period of these artifacts, providing valuable insight into their conservation history. The integration of imaging and spectroscopic techniques proves to be an effective approach for characterizing the restoration materials and techniques applied to bronze artifacts, helping conservators in assessing the condition of restored bronze artifacts.
{"title":"Investigation on restoration materials and techniques on bronze artifacts using non-invasive imaging and spectroscopic methods","authors":"Wei Liu , Pengyu Zhang , Yuliang Zhao , Na Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100043","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100043","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Archaeological bronze artifacts are often found in fragmented or damaged states during excavation, necessitating restoration before they can be displayed in exhibitions. However, many early restoration works lack detailed documentation, posing significant challenges for museum conservators and scientists who want to reanalyze these restored artifacts. Reconstructing past restoration processes via scientific analysis is becoming a fundamental job. Previous studies on restoration materials and techniques for bronze artifacts have mostly relied on micro-analytical and invasive techniques, which are limited in providing comprehensive restoration information about artifacts as a whole. The present study employed imaging techniques, including macro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray radiography, and ultraviolet-induced visible luminescence imaging, in combination with Raman spectroscopy and fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy, to investigate two bronze artifacts dated to the early Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BCE) in the collection of the National Museum of China. The results indicated that one of the artifacts, a bronze vessel (<em>yan</em>), exhibited extensive surface cracks and a large missing piece, which had been repaired using a copper plate joined with tin-lead soldering. Both artifacts showed evidence of surface retouching with pigments such as lithopone, lazurite, phthalocyanine blue, barium white, and chrome yellow. Lithopone, in particular, helps researchers estimate the restoration period of these artifacts, providing valuable insight into their conservation history. The integration of imaging and spectroscopic techniques proves to be an effective approach for characterizing the restoration materials and techniques applied to bronze artifacts, helping conservators in assessing the condition of restored bronze artifacts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100043"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143526929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.aia.2025.100044
Ao Sun, Huimin Wu, Tian Liu, Yuchen Wang, Siran Liu
Cupellation was the most important silver extraction technology in the ancient world. No later than the Han Dynasty, China adopted cupellation in silver extraction. However, the cupel, the most significant physical evidence of this process, is not frequently identified archaeologically in China and is rarely analyzed to reconstruct the technology and material characteristics of the process. Here we present new findings from the sites of Beiyachang and Baixiangchang in Dali, Yunnan. Five used cupel fragments from the two sites were generally dated to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Chemical and microscopic analyses show that the cupels were made primarily of a mixture of bone ash (∼30–50 wt %) and plant ash (∼50–70 wt %). Intriguingly, Chinese historical documents recorded only plant ash as the raw material of cupels and did not mention bone ash until the nineteenth century AD. Thus the current analytical result provides the first physical evidence of cupels made with a bone ash and plant ash mixture in historical China.
{"title":"Identifying recipes of historical cupels from Yunnan, China","authors":"Ao Sun, Huimin Wu, Tian Liu, Yuchen Wang, Siran Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100044","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100044","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cupellation was the most important silver extraction technology in the ancient world. No later than the Han Dynasty, China adopted cupellation in silver extraction. However, the cupel, the most significant physical evidence of this process, is not frequently identified archaeologically in China and is rarely analyzed to reconstruct the technology and material characteristics of the process. Here we present new findings from the sites of Beiyachang and Baixiangchang in Dali, Yunnan. Five used cupel fragments from the two sites were generally dated to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Chemical and microscopic analyses show that the cupels were made primarily of a mixture of bone ash (∼30–50 wt %) and plant ash (∼50–70 wt %). Intriguingly, Chinese historical documents recorded only plant ash as the raw material of cupels and did not mention bone ash until the nineteenth century AD. Thus the current analytical result provides the first physical evidence of cupels made with a bone ash and plant ash mixture in historical China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100044"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.aia.2025.100045
{"title":"Erratum regarding missing Declaration of Competing Interests in previously published articles","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100045","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100045","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100045"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144105032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study utilises pottery as a proxy to identify patterns of use and consumption, as well as depositional strategies at Agriomernos, a recently discovered cave site on Samos Island (Greece). This discovery challenges our understanding of human–landscape interaction within a marginal region across two distinct prehistoric chronological episodes. As part of a broader research project, this paper presents the results from an integrated, multiscale analysis of pottery through morpho-stylistic and macroscopic examination, thin section petrography, and wavelength dispersive X–ray fluorescence spectroscopy (WD-XRF). The analysis has revealed a compositionally diverse ceramic assemblage that represents a range of different raw material sources on the island and, by extension, different groups of people. The identification of off-island imports adds new evidence to the reconstruction of Aegean connectivity patterns. Agriomernos Cave constitutes a key archaeological site within an area previously unexplored, offering a unique opportunity to investigate ancient mobility, landscape sacrality, and ritual performances manifested through periodical and repeated acts of deposition.
本研究利用陶器作为替代品，确定希腊萨摩斯岛最近发现的洞穴遗址 Agriomernos 的使用和消费模式以及沉积策略。这一发现挑战了我们对两个不同史前时期边缘地区人类与景观互动的理解。作为更广泛研究项目的一部分，本文介绍了通过形态样式和宏观检查、薄片岩相学以及波长色散 X 射线荧光光谱（WD-XRF）对陶器进行综合、多尺度分析的结果。分析结果表明，陶瓷组合成分多样，代表了岛上不同的原材料来源，进而代表了不同的人群。对岛外进口商品的鉴定为重建爱琴海的连接模式增添了新的证据。阿格里奥梅诺斯洞穴是一个重要的考古遗址，位于以前未曾开发的地区，为研究古代流动性、景观祭祀性以及通过定期和重复的沉积行为表现出来的仪式表演提供了一个独特的机会。
{"title":"Ritual use, consumption, and depositional practices at Agriomernos Cave, Northwestern Samos (Greece): A ceramic analytical approach","authors":"Sergios Menelaou , Edyta Marzec , Fotis Georgiadis , Stella Katsarou , Anastasios Siros , Andreas Darlas","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2024.100041","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2024.100041","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study utilises pottery as a proxy to identify patterns of use and consumption, as well as depositional strategies at Agriomernos, a recently discovered cave site on Samos Island (Greece). This discovery challenges our understanding of human–landscape interaction within a marginal region across two distinct prehistoric chronological episodes. As part of a broader research project, this paper presents the results from an integrated, multiscale analysis of pottery through morpho-stylistic and macroscopic examination, thin section petrography, and wavelength dispersive X–ray fluorescence spectroscopy (WD-XRF). The analysis has revealed a compositionally diverse ceramic assemblage that represents a range of different raw material sources on the island and, by extension, different groups of people. The identification of off-island imports adds new evidence to the reconstruction of Aegean connectivity patterns. Agriomernos Cave constitutes a key archaeological site within an area previously unexplored, offering a unique opportunity to investigate ancient mobility, landscape sacrality, and ritual performances manifested through periodical and repeated acts of deposition.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100041"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667136024000141/pdfft?md5=4c6b3215fcca25da9ca7fcaccc62d32b&pid=1-s2.0-S2667136024000141-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142229798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-01-01DOI: 10.1016/j.aia.2024.100040
Philip Ebeling , Liora Bouzaglou , Dana Ashkenazi , Johannes H. Sterba , Alexander Fantalkin
This paper presents the results of a multidisciplinary approach characterizing roof tiles excavated at the Ashdod-Yam Byzantine church (Israel). Occupied from the late fourth/early fifth century CE, the building was destroyed by fire toward the end of the sixth century CE, sealed by tiles from the roof's collapse. The assemblage of 3846 roof tiles was initially classified through macroscopic and typological analysis. Selected samples were further subjected to optical microscopy of petrographic samples for provenance studies and ceramic technological insights, along with instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The findings reveal the artifacts to be imported from the eastern Mediterranean ophiolitic complexes and from the Judean Hills. Additionally, fragments of painted ceramic roof tiles were tested using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) to assess the composition of the pigments, examine their microstructures, and understand the manufacturing technologies used. Despite the presence of different types of roof tiles, the paint applied to some of them was found to be uniform, consisting of red, ocher-based pigment, likely sourced locally and applied during the roof's construction. This comprehensive examination on a relatively unexplored type of material sheds new light on specific construction choices during the Byzantine period in the southern Levant.
{"title":"From the hills to the sea: Mineralogical and chemical characterization of a roof tile assemblage from the Byzantine church at Ashdod-Yam (Israel)","authors":"Philip Ebeling , Liora Bouzaglou , Dana Ashkenazi , Johannes H. Sterba , Alexander Fantalkin","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2024.100040","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2024.100040","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents the results of a multidisciplinary approach characterizing roof tiles excavated at the Ashdod-Yam Byzantine church (Israel). Occupied from the late fourth/early fifth century CE, the building was destroyed by fire toward the end of the sixth century CE, sealed by tiles from the roof's collapse. The assemblage of 3846 roof tiles was initially classified through macroscopic and typological analysis. Selected samples were further subjected to optical microscopy of petrographic samples for provenance studies and ceramic technological insights, along with instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The findings reveal the artifacts to be imported from the eastern Mediterranean ophiolitic complexes and from the Judean Hills. Additionally, fragments of painted ceramic roof tiles were tested using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) to assess the composition of the pigments, examine their microstructures, and understand the manufacturing technologies used. Despite the presence of different types of roof tiles, the paint applied to some of them was found to be uniform, consisting of red, ocher-based pigment, likely sourced locally and applied during the roof's construction. This comprehensive examination on a relatively unexplored type of material sheds new light on specific construction choices during the Byzantine period in the southern Levant.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100040"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143526928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号