Investigation of Ring Burnished Pottery Samples from Tilbaşar Mound (Gaziantep, Turkey) Using Multiple Analysis Techniques

Year 2019, Volume: 19 Issue: 1, 193 - 202, 28.05.2019

Murat Bayazit , Osman Ekinci

https://doi.org/10.35414/akufemubid.410495

Abstract

In the present study, representative samples of ring burnished ceramic findings belonging to the Early
Bronze Age (from Tilbaşar Mound, Gaziantep, Turkey) were archaeometrically investigated by means
of multiple analysis methods covering X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy together with
energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, optical microscopy and thermogravimetric-differential thermal
analysis. Additionally, the colors of the potsherds were determined by chromametric analysis. The main
aim of the research was to elucidate the raw material content (minerals, additional materials, if exist,
etc.) and production features of the findings by means of chemical, mineralogical and microscopic
techniques, as mentioned. The results indicated that the samples comprise carbonates suggesting use
of calcareous clay batches which likely refer to a regional production (when the geological features of
the area covering the mound are considered). Taking into account the mineral/phase content and the
micro structural features (poor vitrification behavior) of the samples, it was deduced that the firing
temperatures of the potsherds change in the range of 700-900oC which could be attributed to a
relatively simple firing technique (e.g. pit firing). The whole data obtained in the study brought the
thought that the ring burnished potteries have presumably been produced using simple techniques in
terms of raw material preparation and firing technology. 

Keywords

Archaeometry, Spectroscopy, Ring Burnished Pottery, Early Bronze Age

Investigation of Ring Burnished Pottery Samples from Tilbaşar Mound (Gaziantep, Turkey) Using Multiple Analysis Techniques

Abstract

Mevcut çalışmada Erken Tunç Çağı’na ait şerit perdahlı seramik buluntular (Tilbaşar Höyük, Gaziantep)
X-ışını difraksiyonu, taramalı elektron mikroskobu/enerji saçınımlı X-ray spektroskopisi, optik mikroskop
ve termogravimetrik-diferansiyel termal analiz teknikleri ile arkeometrik olarak incelenmiştir. Ayrıca,
seramik buluntuların renkleri kromametrik analiz ile belirlenmiştir. Çalışmanın temel amacı buluntuların
hammadde içeriklerinin (mineral, ilave malzemeler; eğer mevcut ise, vb.) ve üretim özelliklerinin
kimyasal, mineralojik ve mikroskobik metotlarla aydınlatılmasıdır. Sonuçlar, numunelerin karbonatlı
hammadde içerdiğini ve höyüğü çevreleyen alanın jeolojik özellikleri dikkate alındığında büyük olasılıkla
bölgesel bir üretim ile ilişkilendirilebilecek kalkerli kil yataklarının kullanıldığını göstermektedir.
Örneklerin mineral/faz içeriği ve mikro yapısal özellikleri (zayıf vitrifikasyon davranışı) göz önüne
alındığında, seramiklerin pişirim sıcaklığının 700-900oC aralığında değiştiği ve bu durumun da göreceli
olarak basit bir pişirme tekniğine (ör, çukurda pişirim) bağlı olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Çalışmada
elde edilen sonuçlar şerit perdahlı seramik buluntularının hammadde hazırlama ve pişirim teknolojisi
bakımından basit teknikler kullanılarak üretilmiş olabilecekleri düşüncesini ortaya koymuştur.

Keywords

Arkeometri, Spektroskopi, Karakterizasyon, Şerit Perdahlı Çömlek, Erken Tunç Çağı

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