ANALCIME CRYSTALLIZATION AND COMPOSITIONAL PROFILES-COMPARING APPROACHES TO DETECT POST-DEPOSITIONAL ALTERATIONS IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTTERY

• Published in: Archaeometry Vol. 48; no. 2; pp. 237 - 251
• Main Authors: SCHWEDT, A., MOMMSEN, H., ZACHARIAS, N., GARRIGÓS, J. BUXEDA I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2006; Wiley-Blackwell; Oxford University, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art
• Subjects: ALKALI METALS; ANALCIME; Archaeological chemistry; Archaeometry; Arqueometria; CALCIUM; Ceràmica romana; COMPARATIVE STUDIES; CONCENTRATION PROFILES; Dating; Espanya; Excavation and methods; GEHLENITE; Laboratory methods; Methodology and general studies; NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS; Physical and chemical analysis; POST-DEPOSITIONAL ALTERATION; POTTERY; Prehistory and protohistory; Química arqueològica; Roman pottery; Spain; X-RAY DIFFRACTION; Roman; Measurement; Study; Analysis; Individual; Lead; Romans; Ceramics; Technique; Neutron activation; X ray diffraction; Fir tree; Various
• ISSN: 0003-813X; 1475-4754
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-4754.2006.00254.x

The approaches of comparative studies and profile measurements, often used in order to detect post‐depositional alterations of ceramics, have been applied simultaneously to two sets of Roman pottery, both of which include altered individuals. As analytical techniques, Neutron Activation Analysis and X‐Ray Diffraction have been used. Both approaches lead to substantially different results. This shows that they detect different levels of alteration and should complement each other rather than being used exclusively. For the special process of a glassy phase decomposition followed by a crystallization of the Na‐zeolite analcime, the results suggest that it changes high‐fired calcareous pottery rapidly, and so fundamentally that the results of various archaeometric techniques can be severely disturbed.