Application of X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy to provenance studies of Algerian archaeological pottery

Abstract

The North African regions boast a multimillenary tradition of pottery production that represents a decisive progress in all societies. In this paper, we present the analysis of several fragments of pottery dating from the Middle Ages and collected in the archaeological site of Gouraya in Béjaïa (Algeria). Energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence measurements were performed to obtain the elemental composition of the clays and to attempt a classification of the samples through multivariate analysis methods, connecting them to the archaeological information about the sites. Hierarchical clusters analysis (HCA) identified two possible different groups, related to different production sites, even if only one source of clay seem to be used, consistently with the geological contest. Based on the results, a tentative provenance interpretation could be proposed on historical bases. We put in place a strategy that made it possible to perform provenance studies respecting sample integrity as we aim to extend our research also to integer and well‐preserved object from museum, to create a database for Algerian production of in the Middle Ages.