No abstract

Analyses by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry of 22 ceramic standards and sherds are compared. Further data from analyses of one of the ceramic standards analysed by both methods are also discussed. The results show that for most major elements, the methods are comparable, but that use of common standards would be advisable i f data from the two methods are to be compared.

were subjected to cluster analysis and multivariate statistics using standard computer library packages available at the Oxford University Computing Service. These methods are described in more detail where appropriate.Approximately 300 sherds were analysed during the project, but of these only about 120 were selected for discussion here, broadly divided into two categories. The complete set of results and a full description of the wares concerned is to be published elsewhere (Kenrick, forthcoming). The first category consists of Hellenistic black-glazed wares, which had been divided into various classes by visual inspection. Some of these classes were attributed tentatively to Attic and south Italian sources on the basis of form and fabric. The sherds analysed in this category were drawn from three of these groups, as follows: