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Chemical characterization of ancient pottery from sudan by x‐ray fluorescence spectrometry (xrf), electron microprobe analyses (empa) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) *
Author(s) -
Klein M.,
Jesse F.,
Kasper H. U.,
Gölden A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
archaeometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-4754
pISSN - 0003-813X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4754.2004.00162.x
Subject(s) - empa , electron microprobe , microprobe , mass spectrometry , pottery , x ray fluorescence , homogeneity (statistics) , chemical composition , chemistry , mineralogy , analytical chemistry (journal) , inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry , geology , prehistory , archaeology , environmental chemistry , chromatography , geography , fluorescence , paleontology , physics , statistics , mathematics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Sixty‐four sherds and seven natural clays from prehistoric sites in northwestern Sudan have been submitted to petrological and chemical analysis using XRF spectrometry, EMPA and ICP–MS. According to their texture, the sherds form five different groups. The high contents of P 2 O 5 (more than 0.5 wt%) discerned in 19 samples and the variation of the P 2 O 5 content in two samples of the same vessel can be explained by post‐depositional processes or by the ancient organic contents (e.g., milk) of the vessel. Chemical classification of the pottery bulk suggests that vessels were made locally, as only sherds from the same area show homogeneity of data.