An investigation of pottery production technology for the <i>West Slope</i> wares from Dorylaion (Eskişehir/Turkey)

Abstract

espanolLa investigacion de la tecnologia utilizada por distintas civilizaciones en la produccion de piezas ceramicas encontradas de un mismo asentamiento arqueologico, puede contribuir al conocimiento de relaciones establecidas entre distintas comunidades culturales. Anatolia (Asia Menor) es considerada una importante encrucijada de antiguas civilizaciones que abarcan del Periodo de Bronce al imperio Otomano. Las piezas conocidas como West Slope son los principales restos de la cultura helenistica (330-30 A.C.) encontrados en las excavaciones de Dorylaion (Eskisehir/ Turquia). En este estudio, diferentes tecnicas analiticas han sido empleadas en la caracterizacion de estas piezas, a fin de dilucidar la tecnologia utilizada en su producion.. Fluorescencia de rayos X por onda dispersa (WDXRF) y difraccion de rayos X (XRD) fueron empleados para estudiar las composicion elemental y mineralogica de las piezas, respectivamente. Microscopia electronica (SEM) y espectrometria de rayos X de energia dispersiva (EDX) fueron a su vez utilizadas para la caracterizacion de microquimica y microestructural de los fragmentos seleccionados. Las materias primas utilizadas, temperaturas y atmosfera de coccion, y las caracteristicas microestructurales son discutidas en este trabajo. EnglishResearches in the field of pottery production technology in ancient times, done in different settlements during the same period, may contribute to know relationships established within the different cultural communities. In ancient times, Anatolia (Asia Minor) was the crossroads of ancient civilizations. There are several ancient settlements and artifacts belonging to Hellenistic culture (330-30 BC). West Slope wares from Dorylaion (Eskisehir/Turkey) excavations are the main Hellenistic culture findings. In this study, different analytical techniques were employed for the characterization of these findings in order to enlighten the pottery production technology. Wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to study the chemical and mineralogical composition of the bodies, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) were also performed for the microstructural and microchemical characterization of body and slip layers of the selected potsherds. The raw materials used, firing temperatures and atmosphere and related microstructural characteristics were discussed.