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Ceramic abandonment. How to recognise post-depositional transformations

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Abstract

After they have been abandoned, ceramic materials may undergo substantial transformations, all of which may change their macroscopic aspect, mineralogy, chemical composition and microstructure. The intensity and pervasiveness of these transformations on both macro- and micro-scales depend to a great extent not only on their compositional and microstructural features but also on the chemical-physical characteristics of the post-depositional environment in which they were hosted. This contribution describes the main post-depositional transformations observed in ancient ceramics in relation to secondary phases precipitation, mineral dissolution, pristine mineral and amorphous phases transformations into new mineral phases, and chemical leaching and enrichment. The mechanisms responsible for these transformations are described, together with the characteristics which allow us to identify them according to the most common analytical approaches, in order not to introduce misleading interpretations concerning the study of the provenance and production technology of ancient ceramic materials.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank two anonymous reviewers and the editor of this Topical Collection, Elisabetta Gliozzo, for their suggestions and productive discussion. She would also like to thank Gabriel Walton who revised the English text.

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  1. Department of Geosciences, University of Padova, Via G. Gradenigo 6, 35131, Padova, Italy

    Lara Maritan

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  1. Lara Maritan
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Maritan, L. Ceramic abandonment. How to recognise post-depositional transformations. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 12, 199 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-020-01141-y

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