PRE-COLUMBIAN METALLURGY. PYROTECHNICAL CERAMICS FROM THE PRE-HISPANIC NORTHWESTERN ARGENTINA (ANDEAN AREA)

V. KILIKOGLOU ; G. A. GLUZMAN; A. HEIN

JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE

ACADEMIC PRESS LTD-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2018 p. 1163 - 1170

0305-4403

An assemblage of 16 fragments of pyrotechnical ceramics usedfor metallurgical processing was examined by scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The ceramics came from Rincón Chico in the Andes Region ofNorthwestern Argentina. They were dated as pre-Hispanic. The examinedassemblage comprised seven crucible fragments, five mould fragments, twofragments of so-called perforated crucibles and another two fragmentswhich had not been typologically classified yet. Ten fresh fracturesamples were prepared, in order to examine the variation of the degree ofvitrification in the ceramics. For comparison subsamples were taken fromtwo fragments and subsequently re-fired under controlled conditions attemperatures between 650°C and 1150°C. In this way the micromorphologyobserved in the archaeological samples could be linked to equivalentfiring (or operation) temperatures. Apart from the fresh fractures 14polished sections were prepared in order to examine elemental compositionand microstructure. These provided information concerning the selectionof raw materials, the potential addition of pumicite as temper and theapplication of bone ash mixed with fine clay as lining. Furthermore, thespot analysis of metal residues provided information about the processedmetal.