Archaeological Pottery Research Articles

The potential of aptamers for the analysis of ceramic bound proteins found within pottery

Archaeological pottery are the most numerous objects found during excavations and reflect the culinary practices of the past. However, their functionality for cooking/storing specific foods or drinks cannot be deduced solely from comparing their shapes and sizes. Analysis of protein residues bound to ceramics can reveal the protein/animal type through their amino acid sequence, thus enabling direct identification of food types. Therefore, the aim of our experimental study was to test sixteen aptamers for the analysis of proteinaceous organic residues found within the porous structure of pottery. Traditionally prepared archaeological ceramic replicas were cooked for 5 days in various food/protein suspensions, were UV aged, buried for a year, excavated, and extensively cleaned. Their shards were analysed using immunofluorescence microscopy with aptamers. Results show that eight aptamers (Clone1 and Kirby for egg residuals; seqU5 and BLG14 for milk residuals; HA for blood residuals; Gli4 for gluten residuals; Par1 for fish residuals; and D1 for collagen residuals) produced a successful/specific immunofluorescence microscopy result when they were hybridised to shards containing target protein residuals. Interestingly, on whole egg control samples, when the egg lysozyme-targeting aptamer Kirby was used, fluorescence intensity was 3.1 times greater compared to that observed with anti-ovalbumin antibodies.

Pottery décor as networks on the Middle Niger, Mali

ABSTRACT This paper reports on an attempt to analyse decorative techniques on archaeological pottery from the Middle Niger region of West Africa as knowledge exchange networks. The twelfth-century AD state of this network is modelled and analysed and then compared to its ninth-century counterpart. The analysis shows how knowledge about pottery decoration was propagated within networks of different sizes and intensities, from local, well-connected networks to more loosely tied long-distance connections. The article shows how the perspective of network analysis differs from, and can fruitfully complement, previous treatments of ceramic décor distribution in the region. It adds a novel perspective to what the distribution of archaeological ceramics in this region reflects and contributes to the generation of hypotheses that can be further tested by fieldwork.

Non-planar parallel sections: A new approach in digital image analysis of CT volume datasets to improve the assessment of pottery-forming methods

The paper presents a newly developed technique for displaying sections of CT reconstructions of pottery fragments. Currently, planar tangential sections are the primary way to show a view perpendicular to the surface of the pottery fragment. This section is essential as it displays structural phenomena critical to interpreting pottery-forming methods. However, the planar tangential sections in curved vessel walls show only a limited area of the wall and, even in this area, the sections cannot display structural phenomena at a constant depth of the wall. Consequently, we designed the construction of a non-planar section that follows the vessel’s shape and can be embedded at a defined depth from the surface so that it maps structural phenomena in defined subsurface layers coaxial with the vessel surface. The newly designed imaging technique was applied to the selection of archaeological pottery from the Czech Republic dated to the La Tène period. We demonstrate the usefulness of the non-planar sections for visual inspection of the diagnostic features related to pottery forming as well as for more accurate calculation of the orientation of the components of the ceramic body.

Black paintings in the late Yocavil ceramics (11th–17th centuries): Applying micro X‐ray diffraction to the study of archaeological potteries in Northwest Argentina

AbstractThe black pigments used in Late Period (11th–17th centuries) painted pottery in the Yocavil Valley were characterized. Changes and continuities in the composition of this material over an extended span were evaluated. A regional sample of 47 potsherds from the Loma Rica, San José, and Santa María styles was collected, and for the first time micro wide‐angle X‐ray scattering was used in these ceramic styles. The results indicate the simultaneous presence of iron oxides (hematite) and solid solutions of manganese and iron oxides (jacobsite–magnetite). Besides, the paints were prepared by mixing the pigments with clay‐based binding materials.

A novel inorganic phosphate-based adhesive for bonding archaeological pottery: a preliminary exploration

Damage and fracture of archaeological potteries not only jeopardize the long-term preservation but also hinder their exhibition. To repair these pottery sherds effectively, this study introduces a novel inorganic phosphate-based adhesive and evaluates its effectiveness through a series of experiments. To determine the optimal base adhesive, the paper investigates the influence of varying weight ratios of the H2O–H3PO4 system and the Al(OH)3–H3PO4 system on properties including tensile lap-shear strength, microstructure, high-temperature resistance and phase composition. However, the original black color of the traditional CuO–phosphate adhesive limits its application. The innovation of this study lies in the addition of nano-TiO2 to the adhesive, which not only improves the bonding strength but also adjusts the color of the adhesive. This study has defined the optimal formulation (i.e., base adhesive = m[Al(OH)3]:m[H3PO4] = 7:100, filler = 10wt% nano-TiO2), and the final product shows no residual acid in adhesives. Additionally, the fracture surfaces are successfully bonded with a high strength of 3.56 MPa. Various ageing tests including dry-thermal ageing, hygrothermal ageing and UV irradiation ageing are conducted to assess the ageing resistance of the inorganic phosphate-based adhesive. The results indicate strong tolerance of adhesive to high temperature and high humidity environment. Preliminary applications in archaeological pottery restoration suggest that the inorganic phosphate-based adhesive offers considerable promise for repairing shattered pottery.Graphical

Alkylresorcinol detection and identification in archaeological pottery using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/Orbitrap mass spectrometry.

Alkylresorcinols (AR) are cereal-specific biomarkers and have recently been found in archaeological pots. However, their low concentrations and high susceptibility to degradation make them difficult to detect using conventional gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Here we describe the development of a more sensitive liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS) method to detect these compounds. A method based on the use of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to an Orbitrap mass analyser was established and validated for the detection of low-concentration ARs in pottery. During the preliminary experiments, UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap MS (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/Orbitrap mass spectrometry) was demonstrated to be more sensitive, and a wide range of AR homologues in cereal extracts were detected, unlike UHPLC-QTOFMS (ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry) and GC/MS. The developed method was utilised to profile AR homologue distribution in modern cereal samples and reanalyse AR-containing pots from the archaeological site of Must Farm. A highly sensitive LC/MS method with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.02 μg/g and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.06 μg/g was used to profile ARs in five modern cereal grains. The obtained LOD is 250 times lower than that obtained using the conventional GC/MS approach. AR 21:0 was the most abundant homologue in all four Triticum spp.-einkorn, emmer, Khorasan wheat and common wheat. Meanwhile, AR 25:0 was the predominant homologue in barley, potentially enabling differentiation between wheat and barley. The developed LC/MS-based method was successfully used to analyse ARs extracted from Must Farm potsherds and identified the cereal species most likely processed in the pots-emmer wheat. The described method offers an alternative and more sensitive approach for detecting and identifying ARs in ancient pottery. It has been successfully utilised to detect AR homologues in archaeological samples and discriminate which cereal species-wheat and barley-were processed in the pots.

A medium‐throughput approach for improved taxonomic identification of lipids preserved in ancient pottery

AbstractOrganic residue analysis (ORA) is a valuable tool for the study of ancient diets, but conventional methods remain limited in terms of taxonomic identification or to resolve mixtures. Here, we propose a method to further explore a class of compounds—triacylglycerols (TAGs)—using high‐resolution mass spectrometry to overcome these limitations in an attempt to better characterise culinary practices. Over 70 medieval Sicilian pots and a wide range of authentic fresh products were studied by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionisation–mass spectrometry (MALDI‐MS and MALDI‐MS/MS). MALDI‐MS analysis can distinguish fresh foodstuffs but provides little additional information regarding the contents of archaeological pottery compared to conventional ORA methods. In contrast, product ion analyses were able to deconvolute a range of animal carcass fat mixtures. In addition, detailed analysis of the composition of saturated T44 and unsaturated T50–T54 TAGs was able to provide greater taxonomic resolution regarding dairy products and plant oils.

Virtual reconstruction of archaeological pottery using visual programming language

Working on an archaeological site a large part of the time is invested in the recreation of the pieces from the fragments found. This recreation can be a simple 2D drawing or lately, in order to obtain a greater amount of information, virtual 3D models. In this study we show the process carried out to obtain the virtual model of a hand-made pottery vessel from a point cloud obtained by photogrammetry. Orientation and reconstruction are based on geometry features using visual programming. The workflow generated allows us to reconstruct the complete piece from fragments in a rapid and accurate way. From fragments the complete piece has been reconstructed and texturize with more than 90 % the points adjusted to the model in a distance better than 0.5 mm.

Archaeometric study of Maya pottery from Comalcalco, Tabasco, Mexico

In this paper, structural, morphological, and mineralogical characterizations of Maya archaeological pottery from Comalcalco, Tabasco, Mexico are presented. The fired clay ceramic samples were taken from Maya settlements, previously classified in traditional way, using the type-variety method from physical and cultural features. It is shown that the ceramics studied have some similarities and differences, indicating that the classification by type-variety must be complemented with physicochemical characterization techniques to issue more compelling proposals about Maya ceramics. Physicochemical analysis revealed that the raw materials used by ceramic groups to manufacture different types of pottery such as vases, cups, incense burners and pots have the same composition and origin than the raw materials located in the surrounded region of the archaeological site. Quite similar mineralogical compositions were found between the various studied ceramic materials which indicate a great knowledge of the manufactured materials type. However, significant differences in fired temperatures and carbon concentration were observed which may be related to type of materials used as fuel (organic materials) and whether such ceramics were fired in open or pit ovens.

Creating Mortars through the Alkaline Activation of Ceramic Waste from Construction: Case Studies on Their Applicability and Versatility in Conservation

This paper aimed to investigate the possibility of using alkaline-based binders made from the industrial waste produced by ceramic tiles in the field of conservation and the restoration of monuments and archaeological heritage. Geopolymer mortars, which are environmentally sustainable products obtained by chemical consolidation at room temperature, are studied for their versatility in applications as reintegration or bedding mortars and pre-cast elements, namely bricks, tiles or missing parts for archaeological pottery, as an alternative to traditional not sustainable products. Starting from a well-established formulation, the function of the product, meaning its technical characteristics and its workability, was optimized by changing the aggregates used, by adding a Ca-rich compound or by changing the liquid/solid ratio with the use of tap water. The possibility of tailoring the finishing of the obtained products was also evaluated. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the influence of adding the additive with the presence of newly formed phases, which positively affect the product’s workability. On the contrary, no important variations were observed with the increase in the water content of the same formulation, opening up the possibility of managing it according to the required fluidity of the final product. Good results were observed, jumping above the laboratory scale and overcoming criticalities linked to the variabilities on site and the higher volume of materials used for industrial processes. The present research also demonstrates that ceramic-based geopolymers are suitable for application in a large variety of cultural heritage projects and with different purposes. Therefore, the paper encourages the use of alkali-activated mortars for green restoration, specifically given the wide range of ceramic materials.

Organic residue analysis in archaeological pottery. Heating markers in non-cooking vessels from Etruscan Tarquinia (Italy): A sampling problem?

The organic residues in the material of a series of pottery vessels from a votive deposit (3rd − 2nd century BCE) in the excavations of the Etruscan city of Tarquinia (Italy) were analyzed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Long-chain (31, 33 and 35 carbon atoms) ketones were initially detected in the lipid extracts of all the ceramic samples examined, irrespectively of the characteristics of the vessels in terms of shape and texture and of the possibility they had been used for cooking, recognized in several studies as the main cause of the formation of these compounds. Considering that some cases have also been reported in the literature in which the presence of these ketones seemed unexpected for a given ceramic container, it was decided to examine the possible correlation of their occurrence, for the set of vessels examined in the present work, with the sampling mode used to obtain the ceramic powder before extraction with solvents for the recovery of the organic residue. It was thus possible to demonstrate that the use of a drill for sampling, a modality not unusual in this kind of study, can give rise to the formation of these compounds in an archaeological ceramic material in which fatty acids are absorbed, particularly if it contains calcium carbonate, as demonstrated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the examined pottery fragments. A laboratory experiment based on a fragment of modern pottery in which palmitic and stearic acids were absorbed from a solution, and from which powder samples were then obtained both by drilling and by manual scraping of the pottery surface, allowed to validate the hypothesis above. It was therefore possible to highlight the importance of careful consideration also of the sampling phase in interpreting the results of the analysis of organic residues in archaeological pottery.

ANALYSIS AND RESTORATION OF GRECO-ROMAN POTTERY IN EGYPT

The research aims to identify features of the industry and assess the pottery damage through various examinations and analyses, such as examination by polarised microscope (PLM), examination by Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive X-ray unit "SEM-EDX", analysis by X-ray diffraction powder XRD, and thermal analysis TGA. Archaeometric features of archaeological pottery were identified. The used clay is Nile Clay; the additives are sand, limestone powder, pottery powder (grog), and straw. The moulding technique is the hand and potter wheel technique. The surface treatment is a red wash and slip layer. The burning atmosphere is oxidising for the first and second pottery pieces and reducing for the third and fourth pottery pieces. The burning temperature is about 816°C for the first sample, 887°C for the second sample, 706°C for the third sample, and 651°C for the fourth sample. The texture is medium to coarse fabric for the first sample; the second sample fabric is fine; and the third and fourth samples have a coarse texture. The research proved that the pottery objects suffer from some different damage aspects such as fracture, loss of some parts, lack of strength, weakness, cracking, soil sediments, soot spots and black core, and salt crystallisation (chloride, sulphate, carbonate, and phosphate salts). The research proved the use of a mixture of distilled water, acetone, and ethyl alcohol at a ratio of 1:1:1, respectively, for removing clay soil deposits. EDTA is used to remove lime deposits. Nano-silica at a concentration of 0.5% is used to strengthen archaeological pottery by spraying. Paralloid B 82 dissolved in trichloroethylene at a concentration of 50% in assembling the pottery sherds; it is preferable to display it in the museum at a temperature of 20°C and a relative humidity of 55:60%.

Characterization of pottery foodcrusts through lipid and proteomic analyses: A case study from the Xiawan site in Yixing city, East China

Foodcrusts are often discovered inside archaeological pottery and other containers, and they can provide abundant information about vessel function, diet, cuisine activities and human subsistence strategies. Lipid analysis has been used for decades to characterize foodcrusts, indicating their composition and biological sources. Recently, proteomics has also been applied to foodcrusts, providing more specific information about the tissues and species origins. In this study, lipid and proteomic analyses were combined to analyze foodcrusts in pottery from the Xiawan site of the Taihu Lake region, East China. These pottery sherds are mainly attributed to the Songze cultural period (ca. 5800–5300 BP). The results show that these foodcrusts contain interpretable concentrations of lipid compounds, including a series of common medium- and long-chain fatty acids, dicarboxylic acids, aliphatic alcohols, sterols and their derivatives, isoprenoid fatty acids and long-chain ketones, as well as proteins of terrestrial mammals and aquatic products. This study provides direct evidence for the function of pottery and the exploitation of animal and plant resources at that time, especially freshwater products, marine fish, rice and millet. Therefore, the combination of lipid and proteomic analyses has great potential in organic residue analysis for foodcrusts.

Caution! Contents were hot: Novel biomarkers to detect the heating of fatty acids in residues from pottery use

Understanding exposure of pottery vessels to fire is an important question in the agenda of researchers studying how prehistoric pottery was used to prepare food and the reasons leading to its widespread adoption across the world. In the case lipid residues from cooking, making sense of the range of biochemical compounds synthesised by the application of significant amounts of heat (i.e > 100 °C) to lipid residues can reveal different use patterns in the repertoires of the earliest pottery productions. While knowledge about the thermal degradation of fats in archaeological pottery has been available since the mid-nineties, this paper presents and describes two previously unreported biomarkers detected during ongoing research on the earliest Mediterranean farming societies: the ketonic decarboxylation of saturated fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids resulting in very long chain oxo fatty acids, and, the cyclisation of monounsaturated fatty acids yielding ω-(2-alkylcyclopentyl)alkanoic acids. Therefore, combining experimentation with the analysis of several sets of Neolithic pottery, this paper aims at updating the available data on the range of known biomarkers for lipid thermal alteration by characterising said unreported compounds and facilitating their detection in further studies.

New insights into the use of Neolithic pottery in Guangxi of South China: organic residue analysis of experimental and archaeological pottery

As one of the world’s earliest pottery origins in Eurasia, the role of pottery during Neolithic period in South China remains unclear. Here, we present a new understanding on the utilization pattern of early pottery from the Neolithic sites of Dayan, Dingsishan and Zengpiyan in Guangxi province, China. Compound-specific stable isotope analysis of pottery and bone lipids show that a persistent use of terrestrial C3 and C4 resources throughout the pottery utilization history highlight the culinary practice and terrestrial exploitation during Neolithic period. Contrary to the traditional view that the primary use of these pottery was closely linked with aquatic resource processing, no aquatic biomarkers were found in the potsherds, yet these compounds were detected in the cooking experiments in this study, indicating that aquatic resources in these sites were probably processed or consumed in other ways. Moreover, a remarkable diachronic change from extensive use of C3 and C4 resources to the intensive use of certain kinds of C3 resources in different Neolithic stages, further indicating that an ecological tradition rooted in the subtropical and tropical environments as well as the Neolithic social evolution exerted great influence upon the initial production and the subsequent utilization of early pottery in prehistoric South China.

External Reflection FTIR Spectroscopy Applied to Archaeological Pottery: A Non-Invasive Investigation about Provenance and Firing Temperature

The mineralogical composition of archaeological pottery is closely related to the raw material and the firing conditions, thus constituting a source of information both on the origin and the manufacturing technology of ceramic artefacts. The techniques used to clarify the composition of the ceramic material from the point of view of the mineralogical phases include X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and petrographic analysis. Such techniques normally require the taking of a sample from the object, thus often limiting their applicability to sherds rather than intact vessels. The present study aims to investigate the possibility of applying reflection FTIR spectroscopy in the mid- and near-IR to the non-invasive analysis of the mineralogical composition of archaeological pottery, with reference to a set of Etruscan ceramic materials from the excavation of Tarquinia (Italy).

Advanced coatings for consolidation of pottery artifacts against deterioration

After being buried in the soil for long periods exceeding thousands of years, archeological pottery showed many phases of deterioration leaving them with extreme impairment. Polymeric coatings are the traditional consolidants which can be used in the improvement of many of these discovered artifacts. Many of the used polymers can offer good protection performance, but this is accompanied with some problems; such as low stability with chromatic changes and wetting-drying cycles. The process of reinforcing the polymeric coating with functional pigments can enhance their performance in providing advanced functions to the consolidated coatings. In this work, polymers of styrene acrylic and VEOVA were integrated with inorganic pigment of strontium aluminate doped with traces of cerium to add-valued properties to the polymeric mixture and provide modified mechanical and anti-microbiological protection for the pottery artifacts. Different techniques were used to evaluate the effect of the prepared formulations such as their color change index, porosity, compressive strength, digital and scanning microscope besides the antimicrobial effects. The results showed that styrene-acrylic polymer integrated with the prepared strontium aluminate pigment was better in its protection and consolidating properties than that of VEOVA.

Identifying the original function of vessels deposited in Lusatian Urnfield burials: the case of the Czernikowice cemetery (Poland)

Abstract Usage patterns are one of the leading research issues in archaeological pottery studies. Non-cinerary vessels deposited in burials of the Lusatian Urnfield are particularly intriguing since they did not typically undergo detailed functional analysis. Their function has usually been determined based on the shape and surface treatment. Thus, grave pottery is widely regarded to have been explicitly fashioned for mortuary practices and not used for other purposes. It applies particularly to ceramic items other than containers, such as zoomorphic vessels, figurines, and rattles, which must have played a significant role in funeral ceremonies. The paper presents the outcome of morphological, stylistic and chromatographic analyses of vessels deposited in the Lusatian Urnfield cremation graves found at site 2 in Czernikowice, Legnica district, Poland. The ceramic items come from well-investigated grave contexts dated to Montelius’ periods IV and V. The results indicate that most of the analysed vessels had contact with substances of vegetal and faunal origin.

Improving the properties of gap-filling materials for pottery artifacts with nano silica and nano kaolinite polymeric nanocomposites

Purpose The study aims to assess the efficiency of nanocomposite to improve the properties of gap-filling materials for pottery artifacts. Design/methodology/approach Five different pastes were used in the laboratory studies. The pastes consist mainly of pottery powder (grog), dental plaster, microballoons and an adhesive of Primal AC33, nano-silica and nano kaolinite in various concentrations. The prepared samples were subjected to accelerated heat and light aging. Besides, some investigations were used to evaluate the efficacy of the additive nanomaterials, such as TEM, digital and scanning electron microscopy microscopes. Contact angle, color change, shrinkage degree, physical properties and compressive strength tests were also conducted. Findings The results indicated that using Nano-silica considerably improves the mechanical strength and decreases the shrinkage of gap-filling materials. According to the results, a mixture of grog, microballoons and Primal AC33/Nano-silica Nanocomposites is the optimal gap-filling paste for archaeological pottery. Moreover, this paste showed a higher contact angle (120°), lower color change (ΔE = 2.62), lower shrinkage (3.3%), lower water absorption (3.36%), lower porosity (5.05%) and higher compressive strength (5124 N/mm2). Originality/value This paper attains to develop an economic polymer-nanocomposite that can be used with gap-filling materials for pottery artifacts.

Bridging Ethnoarchaeology and Archaeology in the Ethiopian Gamo Highlands

ABSTRACT This article is a case study that applies long-term ceramic ethnoarchaeology to recent archaeological research in the Gamo region of Ethiopia. The region is located on the western escarpment of the Great Rift Valley. Today, an important cultural characteristic of the Gamo is their caste system. They divide society into occupational castes including Mala farmers and Tsoma artisans who are segregated in their access to land and food resources. Working collaboratively with Gamo Boreda elders, we located a historic Mala household at the archaeological site of Ochollo Mulato (1270–1950 CE) and an artisan household at the archaeological site of Garu (eighteenth and nineteenth centuries CE). The historic archaeological pottery assemblages from Ochollo Mulato and Garu are considered in light of thirty years of Gamo ceramic ethnoarchaeological research to understand changes in subsistence and social organization through time.