Petrographic and geochemical analyses of Late Bronze and Iron Age pottery from Arslantepe (Malatya, Turkey): insights into the local organization of the production and extra-regional networks of exchange

Abstract

In this paper, we analyzed Late Bronze and Iron Age pottery assemblages from the site of Arslantepe (Malatya, eastern Turkey) by utilizing a combination of thin-section petrography and X-ray wavelength dispersive fluorescence techniques. Following an introduction to the site and an overview of the archeological and historical evidence, the analysis is presented, and the outcomes discussed in the wider framework of the Syro-Anatolian and eastern Mediterranean regions. The results show elements of both continuity and change over the second millennium and until the beginning of the first millennium BC. On a local level, the use of volcanic-based recipes for the production of painted vessels represents the most striking element of continuity. In contrast, noteworthy elements of changes relate to an increased exploitation of geological deposits south of Arslantepe and the standardization of paste recipes for cooking pots. Remarkable results also pertain to extra-regional exchanges: The Late Bronze Age Red Lustrous Wheel-made Ware found at the site is imported from Cilicia, while the wares of foreign tradition from the Middle Iron Age levels are mostly locally produced.