FTIR, XRD and SEM-EDS Studies of Archaeological Pottery Samples from Recently Excavated Site in Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

These studies focus on the elemental concentration and firing temperature of the ancient pottery samples collected from the recently excavated site Pilaiyarpalaiyam in Tamil Nadu, India. Clay was prepared which consisted of quartz, kaolinite, illite, chlorite, feldspars and iron oxides. The samples were subjected to analysis as in the received state. The characterization studies for the analysis of the composition of the pottery using FT-IR, XRD, SEM and EDS reveals the skill and style of the artisan lived in the ancient civilization. The firing temperature and the firing conditions adopted at the time of manufacturing of the pottery also determined. The Pilaiyarpalaiyam samples were fired in the range of 800°C. The elemental concentration through the EDS analysis gave the provenance of the pottery samples well evidence that the sample were two different origin and different sources of materials used.