TXRF of Archaeological Ceramics: preliminary report on provenance studies of Aguada Portezuelo ceramic style (ca. AD 600 - AD 900) (Catamarca valley, Province of Catamarca, Northwestern Argentine region).

DE LA FUENTE, G. A., M. R. EPPIS AND L. BIANCHI.

Siena, Italia

Simposio; 37th. International Symposium on Archaeometry, 12-16 May, Siena, Italy.; 2008

TXRF is a useful technique for the simultaneous determination of elements with atomic number >12. Chemical elements such as As, Nd, U, Co, Cr, Hf, Ni, Rb, Sc, Sr, Zn, Al, Ba, Ca, K, Mn, Ti, V, Cu, Ga, Y, and Fe can be easily determined at low detection limits (ppm and ppb). Usually, TXRF has been used in archaeology to explore the composition of metal alloys, and very few research has been done in ceramic compositional analysis. The research done on ceramics has proved to be very reliable as comparing with INAA. In this poster, we present the first results obtained by TXRF on a sample of archaeological ceramics coming from several archaeological sites from Catamarca valley, Province of Catamarca, Northwestern Argentine region. We analysed 57 ceramic samples from six archaeological sites belonging to Aguada Portezuelo ceramic style. Aguada Portezuelo ceramics are characterised by present a marked polychromy in their decoration, with red, black, brown, white and yellow pre- and postfiring paintings. The motifs are elaborated in negative and positive and sometimes are not very well fixed to the vessel wall surfaces. It has been assumed that ceramic production of this ceramic style was only at Catamarca valley, but it is unclear if there was one or more production centers for this style in the Middle Period. Additionally, several clay samples were collected in different geographical location of the valley and submmitted to analysis. Multivariate statistical analyses were performed on the elemental data and priority was given to trace element concentrations. Additionally, several clay samples were collected in different geographical location of the valley and submmitted to analysis. Multivariate statistical analyses were performed on the elemental data and priority was given to trace element concentrations. Additionally, several clay samples were collected in different geographical location of the valley and submmitted to analysis. Multivariate statistical analyses were performed on the elemental data and priority was given to trace element concentrations.