Open AccessAn X-Ray Fluorescence and Principal Component Analysis study of pottery from Orraon
Author(s) -
C. Papachristodoulou,
Artemios Oikonomou,
K. G. Ioannides,
Konstantina Gravani
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
hnps advances in nuclear physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2654-0088
pISSN - 2654-007X
DOI - 10.12681/hnps.2257
Subject(s) - pottery , principal component analysis , archaeology , x ray fluorescence , settlement (finance) , trace (psycholinguistics) , sample (material) , raw material , principal (computer security) , mineralogy , geography , geology , fluorescence , mathematics , chemistry , computer science , statistics , physics , linguistics , optics , chromatography , philosophy , world wide web , payment , organic chemistry , operating system
Radioisotope-induced X-ray fluorescence XRF was used to determine the composition of 64 pottery sherds recovered from the settlement of ancient Orraon, northwestern Greece. The XRF data were submitted to Principal components analysis PCA and distinct sample clusters were identified, originating from differences in major and trace elements concentrations. The statistical classification, combined with archaeological criteria, allows conclusions related to the raw materials and paste recipes used in pottery manufacturing. Distinction between local production and imported pottery may also be inferred.