ARCHAEOMETRICAL STUDY OF SECOND IRON AGE CERAMICS FROM THE NORTHWESTERN OF THE IBERIAN PENINSULA

Abstract

This paper presents for the first time, the archaeometric characterization of the ceramics of an archaeological deposit located in the Almar river Valley (Salamanca, Spain) and the study of some soil samples from this archaeological site. Colour characterization was performed according with Munsell Soil Color Chart. X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and polarizing petrographic microscopy observations were carried out to determine the mineralogical composition of the ancient ceramics. Minor and major elements were studied by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP–MS). Specific surface area was measured using BET methodology. Finally, a multivariate statistical analysis was performance in order to distinguish families of ceramics as a function of their geochemical and mineralogical composition. The chemical, mineralogical and morphological study characterization of these ceramic materials allows the establishment of three different groups related with the origin of the raw materials. Only one of the ceramic groups was manufactured in the archaeological area. However, the ceramics of the other two groups were probably brought by the ancient inhabitants to the archaeological site. Finally, it was possible determine conclusions about aspects of their manufacture, i.e. the use of non-plastic inclusions in some ceramics to improve the refractoriness of the ceramics.