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Analysis of Shell-Tempered Pottery Replicates: Implications for Provenance Studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

James W. Cogswell,
Hector Neff and
Michael D. Glascock
James W. Cogswell
Affiliation:
Research Reactor Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
Hector Neff
Affiliation:
Research Reactor Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
Michael D. Glascock
Affiliation:
Research Reactor Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
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Abstract

Archaeometric methods such as provenance studies must be predicated on understanding the processes that underlie the production of this information. This study focuses on element-based provenance studies of Mississippian-period pottery, which are complicated by the fact that this pottery generally was tempered with crushed shell in different amounts and of unknown species composition. Experiments conducted at the Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) have documented elemental dilution and enhancement effects of adding shell temper to clay. Mathematical corrections previously have been employed to correct for shell-temper effects. Results of physical, chemical, and mathematical approaches to eliminating the effects of shell tempering indicate that mathematical methods, based on a firm knowledge of shell composition, provide the most efficient correction.

Résumé

Résumé

Los métodos empleados para determinar la procedendo de artefactos arqueológicos deben basarse en un conocimiento de los procesos cientifícos que producen la información necesaria para realizar un estudio. Para el caso del período Misisipi, estudios de procedendo de cerámica basados en la composición química se complican debido a la presencia de desgrasante de concha de especies desconocidas en distintas cantidades. Experimentos realizados en el MURR han permitido documentor los procesos de dilución y el efecto de enriquecimento que resultan al añadir desgrasante de concha a la arcilla. Resultados de los análisis físicos, químìcos y matemátìcos empleados para eliminar los efectos del desgrasante de concha indican que los métodos matemáticos, cuando se basan en unfirme conocimiento de la composición de la concha, proveen la corrección más eficiente.

Information

Type
Reports
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 63 , Issue 1 , January 1998, pp. 63 - 72
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for American Archaeology 1998

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