Late Roman coarse wares from the Roman villa of Torre Llauder (Barcelona, Spain): Archaeometric characterisation

Abstract

Torre Llauder is a Roman villa located next to the city of Iluro (Mataró, Barcelona), which transformed into a small village during Late Antiquity. To investigate the provenance and technology of Late Roman coarse wares, and particularly cooking wares, used in this site between the 6th and the 7th centuries AD, 47 samples were selected including cooking pots and casseroles, and samples of common wares, and storage vessels. Archaeometric study of these ceramics was performed through X-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF) for the chemical characterisation, X-ray diffraction (XRPD) for the identification of the main crystalline phases, and optical microscopy by thin section analysis for the petrographic characterisation. The results show that the cooking wares share strong similarities both in chemical composition, and petrographic features. A large petrographic fabric group characterised by granitic inclusions can be further divided into four fabrics on textural grounds. The comparison of the pottery composition with the geology of the area supports the hypothesis of a regional origin for most of the fabrics defined. The clays used for most cooking and common wares were probably derived from a common granitic area in the Maresme region, and likely from a granodioritic batholith. Some samples may have been produced in neighboring areas.