Analysis and Evaluation of Bronze Age Ceramics From Some Centers in Kars and Its Surroundings
Abstract
Located in Turkey’s Eastern Anatolia Region, Kars Province has been continuously inhabited since the Paleolithic Age due to its position on important trade routes connecting the Caucasus to Anatolia. Scientific excavations and surface surveys conducted in Kars and its surroundings provide important data on the region's ancient history. In this context, within the scope of surface surveys initiated in 2000 and continuing to the present day, the typological characteristics and additives of Bronze Age ceramic finds identified at Ziyarettepe Castle in the Central District, Tomarlı Castle in the Arpaçay District, and the Çardakçatı Settlement in the Sarıkamış District have been evaluated. The ceramic samples in question were then analyzed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology. The basic chemical compositions of a total of seven ceramic samples taken from the three centers were determined, and the elemental distributions in these compositions were evaluated in detail. During the analysis of the ceramics, the mineral composition ratios of the inorganic additives used were examined through XRF technique in the form of internal, external, and general surface analyses; the average values of the results obtained were presented. The findings indicate that the raw materials used in the production of ceramics were largely sourced locally. Furthermore, the similarities observed in terms of content and form reveal cultural and technological interactions among Bronze Age communities in Kars and its surroundings.
Keywords
Eastern Anatolia, Kars, Bronze Age, Ceramic, X-Ray Fluorescence
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