The effect of inter- and intra-source variation: A comparison between WD-XRF and NAA data from Cretan clay deposits

Abstract

The performance of WD-XRF and NAA set-ups has been examined by comparing compositional data obtained by the two methods on 36 clay samples collected in Central and Eastern Crete. While the two methods determine a different range of elements – 26 are determined by WD-XRF, 27 by NAA, of which 15 are measured with both methods – with different precisions, a similar grouping, and level of resolution when examining the same set of clays could be achieved using WD-XRF data in comparison with NAA data. These results highlight the WD-XRF routine's potential of discrimination even in regions which have proved to be challenging for provenance studies in the past.