Insights into ancient ceramic technology: a comprehensive analysis of mineralogy, chemistry and firing conditions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25081/rrst.2024.16.8758Keywords:
Thermogravimetry, Ancient ceramics, X-ray diffraction, Firing temperature, Clay, Quartz, FelsparAbstract
The intensive integration of Azerbaijan into the global economy, mainly through international gas and oil pipeline construction, has led to significant archaeological research in the past two decades. The construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline (BTC) and the Southern Caucasus Pipeline gas pipeline (SCP) prompted a four-year archaeological fieldwork program, followed by a six-year post-excavation program. The current work applied an interdisciplinary approach using various instrumental methods for studying ancient artifacts found during those projects. The thermogravimetric method and differential thermal analysis were employed to obtain insights into the production technology of the ancient pottery and information about the mineralogy of the ceramic sherds. The complex processes involved in firing the ceramic paste have been studied extensively, and patterns in mass loss ratios during different temperature ranges have been established. In total, 15 samples were investigated, and the thermogravimetric analysis of ceramic shards revealed that the firing temperature of the samples was in the range of 700 °C. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of quartz, feldspar, and clay minerals in the ceramic samples. The presence of calcite and other specific minerals is subject to the origin of the ceramic materials. The results obtained from this multidisciplinary approach provide insights into the firing technology and the origin of the ceramic samples.
Downloads
References
Akhundov, T. I., Mammadov, S. G., Ahadova, A. A., & Abdullayev, A. N. (2018). Dating of Charcoal Samples from the Polutepe Archeological Site in Azerbaijan. Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies, 6(4), 147-151. https://doi.org/10.24203/ajhss.v6i4.5459
Barrett, G. T. (2015). Rehydroxylation Dating: Assessment for Archaeological Application. Doctoral Dissertation, Queen’s University Belfast.
Chatfield, M. (2010). Tracing firing technology through clay properties in Cuzco, Peru. Journal of Archaeological Science, 37(4), 727-736. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JAS.2009.11.003
Drebushchak, V. A., Mylnikova, L. N., & Drebushchak, T. N. (2018). Thermoanalytical investigations of ancient ceramics. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 133, 135-176. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-018-7244-5
Drebushchak, V. A., Mylnikova, L. N., & Molodin, V. I. (2007). Thermogravimetric investigation of ancient ceramics : Metrological analysis of sampling. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 90, 73-79. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-007-8478-9
Drebushchak, V. A., Mylnikova, L. N., Drebushchak, T. N., & Boldyrev, V. V. (2005). The investigation of ancient pottery. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 82, 617-626. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-005-6913-3
Fajnor, V. Š., & Jesenák, K. (1996). Differential thermal analysis of montmorillonite. Journal of Thermal Analysis, 46, 489-493. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02135026
Gallet, Y., & Le Goff, M. (2015). Rehydration and Rehydroxylation in Ancient Ceramics: New Constraints from Mass Gain Analyses Versus Annealing Temperatures. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 98(9), 2738-2744. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.13674
Herrscher, E., Poulmarc’h, M., Pecqueur, L., Jovenet, E., Benecke, N., Decaix, A., Lyonnet, B., Guliyev, F., & André, G. (2018). Dietary inferences through stable isotope analysis at the Neolithic and Bronze Age in the southern Caucasus (sixth to first millenium BC, Azerbaijan): From environmental adaptation to social impacts. American Journal of Biological Anthropology, 167(4), 856-875. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23718
Kalinkin, A. M., Kalinkina, E. V., & Zalkind, O. A. (2009). Mechanosorption of carbon dioxide by Ca- and Mg-containing silicates and alumosilicates. Sorption of CO2 and structure-related chemical changes. Colloid Journal, 71, 185-192. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1061933X09020069
Kalinkin, A. M., Kalinkina, E. V., Zalkind, O. A., & Makarova, T. I. (2008). Mechanochemical interaction of alkali metal metasilicates with carbon dioxide: 2. The influence of thermal treatment on the properties of activated samples. Colloid Journal, 70, 42-47. https://doi.org/10.1134/s1061933x08010079
Kloužková, A., Kohoutková, M., Zemenová, P., & Mazač, Z. (2014). Characterisation of a prehistorical ceramic object. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 116, 641-645. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-014-3712-8
Legodi, M. A., & de Waal, D. (2007). Raman spectroscopic study of ancient South African domestic clay pottery. Spectrochimica Acta - Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 66(1), 135-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.saa.2006.02.059
Lyonnet, B., & Guliyev, F. (2010). Recent Discoveries on the Neolithic and Chalcolithic of Western Azerbaijan. Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi Arkeoloji Dergisi, 13(13), 219-228. https://doi.org/10.22520/tubaar.2010.0012
Lyonnet, B., Akhundov, T., Almamedov, K., Bouquet, L., Courcier, A., Jellilov, B., Huseynov, F., Loute, S., Makharadze, Z., & Reynard, S. (2008). Late Chalcolithic Kurgans in Transcaucasia. The cemetery of Soyuq Bulaq (Azerbaijan). Archäologische Mitteilungen Aus Iran Und Turan, 40, 27-44.
Lyonnet, B., Guliyev, F., Bouquet, L., Bruley-Chabot, G., Samzun, A., Pecqueur, L., Jovenet, E., Baudouin, E., Fontugne, M., Raymond, P., Degorre, E., Astruc, L., Guilbeau, D., Le Dosseur, G., Benecke, N., Hamon, C., Poulmarc’h, M., & Courcier, A. (2016). Mentesh Tepe, an early settlement of the Shomu-Shulaveri Culture in Azerbaijan. Quaternary International, 395, 170-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.02.038
Lyonnet, B., Guliyev, F., Helwing, B., Aliyev, T., & Hansen, S. (2012). Ancient Kura 2010–2011:The first two seasons of joint field work in the Southern Caucasus. Archaeologische Mitteilungen Aus Iran Und Turan, 44, 1-191.
Mammadov, S., Gurbanov, M., Ahadova, A., & Abishov, A. (2023). Characterization of ancient ceramic shreds: Insights into firing conditions and manufacturing technology. Recent Research in Science and Technology, 15, 12-17. https://doi.org/10.25081/rrst.2023.15.8501
Maynard, D., Qoşqarli, Q., Müseybli, N., Nəcəfov, Ş., Əsədov, V., Agalarzadə, A., Kiriçenko, D., & Hüseynov, M. (2022). Archaeological Excavations on the SCPX Pipeline, Azerbaijan 2013-2018. Internet Archaeology, 59. https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.59.11
Meyvel, S., Sathya, P., & Velraj, G. (2012). Thermal characterization of archaeological pot sherds recently excavated in Nedunkur, Tamilnadu , India. Ceramica, 58(347), 338-341. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0366-69132012000300009
Molodin, V. I., Mylinkova, L. N., Shtertser, N. V., Durakov, I. A., & Drebushchak, V. A. (2019). Thermogravimetry in the Studies of Ancient Technical Ceramics. Chemistry for Sustainable Development, 27(1), 101-108. https://doi.org/10.15372/csd20190116
Nishiaki, Y., & Guliyev, F. (2021). Göytepe: Neolithic Excavations in the Middle Kura Valley, Azerbaijan. Oxford, UK: Archaeopress Archaeology.
Nishiaki, Y., Guliyev, F., & Baudouin, E. (2019). Mud-bricks in Neolithic architecture at Göytepe. In Y. Nishiaki, & F. Guliyev (Eds.), Göytepe: Neolithic Excavations in the Middle Kura Valley, Azerbaijan (pp. 97-108) Oxford, UK: Archaeopress Archaeology.
Nishiaki, Y., Guliyev, F., & Kadowaki, S. (2015). Chronological Contexts of the Earliest Pottery Neolithic in the South Caucasus: Radiocarbon Dates for Göytepe and Hacı Elamxanlı Tepe, Azerbaijan. American Journal of Archaeology, 119(3), 279-294. https://doi.org/10.3764/aja.119.3.0279
Nishiaki, Y., Guliyev, F., Kadowaki, S., Arimatsu, Y., Hayakawa, Y., Shimogama, K., Miki, T., Akashi, C., Arai, S., & Salimbeyov, S. (2013). Hacı Elamxanlı Tepe: Excavations of the Earliest Pottery Neolithic Occupations on the Middle Kura, Azerbaijan, 2012. Archäologische Mitteilungen Aus Iran Und Turan, 45, 1-25.
Nishiaki, Y., Zeynalov, A., Mansrov, M., Akashi, C., Arai, S., Shimogama, K., & Guliyev, F. (2019a). The Mesolithic-Neolithic interface in the Southern Caucasus: 2016-2017 excavations at Damjili Cave, West Azerbaijan. Archaeological Research in Asia, 19, 100140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ara.2019.100140
Nishiaki, Y., Zeynalov, A., Munsrov, M., & Guliyev, F. (2022). Radiocarbon Chronology of the Mesolithic-Neolithic Sequence At Damjili Cave, Azerbaijan, Southern Caucasus. Radiocarbon, 64(2), 309-322. https://doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2022.12
Palumbi, G., Guilbeau, D., Astruc, L., Chataigner, C., Gratuze, B., Lyonnet, B., & Pulitani, G. (2018). Between cooking and knapping in the southern Caucasus: Obsidian-tempered ceramics from Aratashen (Armenia) and Mentesh Tepe (Azerbaijan). Quaternary International, 468, 121-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2017.10.005
Papadopoulou, D. N., Lalia-Kantouri, M., Kantiranis, N., & Stratis, J. A. (2006). Thermal and mineralogical contribution to the ancient ceramics and natural clays characterization. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 84, 39-45. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-005-7173-y
Polymeris, G. S., Sakalis, A., Papadopoulou, D., Dallas, G., Kitis, G., & Tsirliganis, N. C. (2007). Firing temperature of pottery using TL and OSL techniques. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 580(1), 747-750. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2007.05.139
Rasmussen, K. L., De La Fuente, G. A., Bond, A. D., Mathiesen, K. K., & Vera, S. D. (2012). Pottery firing temperatures: a new method for determining the firing temperature of ceramics and burnt clay. Journal of Archaeological Science, 39(6), 1705-1716. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2012.01.008
Shoval, S., Boudeulle, M., & Panczer, G. (2011). Identification of the thermal phases in firing of kaolinite to mullite by using micro-Raman spectroscopy and curve-fitting. Optical Materials, 34(2), 404-409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2011.08.031
Stratis, J. A., Lalia-Kantouri, M., Charalambous, E., Charalambous, A., & Kantiranis, N. (2011). Thermal, chemical, and mineralogical characterization of ceramic tobacco pipes from Cyprus. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 104, 431-437. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-010-1141-x
Stubna, I., Podoba, R., Bacík, P., & Podobník, Ľ. (2013). Romanesque and Gothic bricks from church in Pác – estimation of the firing temperature. Epitoanyag - Journal of Silicate Based and Composite Materials, 65(2), 48-51. https://doi.org/10.14382/epitoanyag-jsbcm.2013.11
Taylor, P. M., & Maynard, D. (2011). Archaeological excavations on the BTC pipeline, Azerbaijan. Internet Archaeology, 29.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2024 Recent Research in Science and Technology
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
.