Using Hierarchical Bayesian Models to Interpret Geochemical Variation in Colonoware Vessel Fragments from Williamsburg, Virginia

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)", at the 2024 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Our recent analysis of colonoware from the Colonial Williamsburg archaeological collections has shown the effect consumer demand had on the prevalence, form, and decorative techniques applied to the ware type in the Virginia Colony’s capitol city over the course of the 18th century. As part of this larger analysis, pXRF and LA-ICP-MS techniques were used to quantify the geochemical signature of a subset of 50 vessels which were selected as cross-cutting the most notable variations in potting techniques from this collection. In this presentation I will synthesize these data types together to identify culturally meaningful geochemical variation. In so doing, I will emphasize the value of examining the within-sherd variation in chemical concentrations, in addition to the analysis of central tendencies between sherds, when interpreting past behaviours from ceramic geochemical data.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2024   •
• Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions)

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow