Analysis of Ancient Chinese Pottery Utilizing X-Ray Fluorescence and Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy

Summary

Field studies were performed at the Yangguanzhai Neolithic site near Xi’an, China, using an Olympus Delta Premium portable XRF spectrometer and an Agilent ExoScan FTIR spectrometer. 932 ceramic sherds collected from nine locations across the site were selected and classified based on color (red, tan and brown), decorations (painted, rope impression - cord or thread, and plain), and time period (Miaodigou and Banpo IV). Each sherd was broken, so that the analysis could be performed on a clean edge to minimize surface contamination. Although ceramics have much more complex matrices than most lithic samples, distinct patterns could be observed in several preliminary PCA (Principal Components Analysis) tests. In the main moat (G8-1), an apparent change in clay composition was observed from earlier layers to later layers. Three main clay composition groupings were found in many locations. Differences in clay compositions were also observed in sherds fired at different temperatures (FTIR-assigned firing temperature). One location (402) was clearly different in clay composition from all the others. Additionally, these data seem consistent with a more homogeneous clay composition in the Banpo IV period than in the earlier Miaodigou period.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• New Discoveries and Multidisciplinary Research at Yangguanzhai, China   •
• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16468