Clay resources in the Nelas region (Beira Alta), Portugal. A contribution to the characterization of potential raw materials for prehistoric ceramic production

Marques, Rosa; Jorge, Ana; Franco, Diogo; Dias, María Isabel; Prudêncio, M.I.

doi:10.1180/claymin.2010.045.3.353

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Sb shows higher correlation with clay minerals (illite) as evidenced by Sb-K 2 O (r = 0.75) and Sb-Al 2 O 3 (r = 0.63), possibly being related with weathered schist (Marques et al, 2010). The Sb corre- Taylor and McLennan, 1985); average REE patterns for AM and MM.…”

Section: Transition Trace Elements and Other Post-transition Metalsmentioning

confidence: 79%

Patterns of rare earth and other trace elements in Paleogene and Miocene clayey sediments from the Mondego platform (Central Portugal)

et al. 2015

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a b s t r a c tIn the present study the origin of clay deposits occurring in an inland platform, in central Portugal, was investigated by their mineralogical and chemical composition. The clay deposits, exploited for ceramic industry are composed of silt-clay facies, the Monteira Member and the Arroç a Member, which are assigned to the Coja Formation (Paleogene) and the Campelo Formation (Miocene), respectively. These clayey facies show almost compositional homogeneity, especially concerning texture. The mineralogical composition of the Monteira Member displays slightly higher content in smectite and interstratified clay minerals, which is supported by the chemical composition of samples analyzed. Both members present similar REE patterns, displaying an intense weathering record and little variation in the source area composition. Minor element geochemistry suggests low content in heavy minerals and transition metals. REE patterns and ratios of geochemical parameters support the dominant metasedimentary provenance, with a granite source contribution and also mature recycled sediments of continental origin. The study results' suggest that the clays of these two members have the same source in terms of lithology and recycled sediments from the Hesperian massif. During the deposition of the Arroç a Member, a major remobilization of the Monteira Member is suggested, explaining the geochemical similarity of both facies.

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Section: Transition Trace Elements and Other Post-transition Metalsmentioning

confidence: 79%

Patterns of rare earth and other trace elements in Paleogene and Miocene clayey sediments from the Mondego platform (Central Portugal)

et al. 2015

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“…49, 2007) was published with contributions describing the history of several NAA laboratories and case studies of archaeological artefacts, including several case studies concerning ceramics provenance (dIas & PrudêncIo 2007;hancock et al 2007;kI-lIkoglou et al 2007). The application of the INAA method using the Portuguese Research Reactor (RPI) as neutrons source in support of provenance research has been largely used over the past few decades in the IST/ITN, where a large compositional database of ceramics from different chronologies and archaeological sites, as well as of raw materials exists nowadays (cabral et al 1988;dIas et al 2002dIas et al , 2003adIas et al , 2003bdIas et al , 2005adIas et al , 2005bdIas et al , 2009PrudêncIo et al 1989;PrudêncIo et al 2003PrudêncIo et al , 200, 2009TrIndade et al 2010aTrIndade et al , 2010bMarques et al 2010).…”

Section: The Role Of Ree In Archaeometric Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rare earth elements as tracers for provenancing ancient ceramics

Prudêncio¹,

Dias

Trindade

et al. 2012

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Clay analysis plays a crucial role in studies of ancient ceramics, contributing with answers to better understanding resource exploitation strategies, production technologies, and regional and interregional interaction patterns. The vessels are made essentially by clays, the composition of the ceramics reflectingthe origin of the clay materials used and conclusions may be inferred concerning the type of raw materials and the establishment of the geographic area of production. Different geochemical patterns found in clays from different geological contexts, consist on an important basis for the comparison with ceramics since the identification of the clays used for productions can contribute to delimit a potential area of clay resources and thus establishing provenance. This is particularly useful when no archaeological evidence of production exists. REE patterns are very important for the characterization of ceramic productions and their relation with raw materials, as subtle variations between them reflect differences in their relative behaviour in response to the chemical environment, making this group particularly useful in geochemistry studies. So, REE are crucial trace elements to pursue studies of raw materials and provenance establishment and trade routes reconstruction in ancient times. As terras raras como indicadores geoquímicos na proveniência de cerâmica antiga - O estudo das argilas assume um papel crucial na investigação de cerâmicas antigas, contribuindo para o esclarecimento e melhor compreensão de estratégias de exploração de recursos de matérias-primas, tecnologias de produção e padrões de interacção regional e inter-regional. Os recipientes cerâmicos são essencialmente constituídos por argilas, reflectindo a sua composição a origem dos materiais argilosos usados, podendo ser retiradas conclusões relativamente ao tipo de matérias-primas, bem como ao estabelecimento de áreas geográficas de produção. Os diversos padrões geoquímicos encontrados nas argilas provenientes de diferentes contextos geológicos, constituem uma importante base para a comparação com as cerâmicas, uma vez que a identificação das argilas usadas em certas produções, pode contribuir para a delimitação da potencial área fonte de argilas, estabelecendo-se assim a sua proveniência. Este facto é particularmente relevante quando não existe evidência arqueológica de produção. Os padrões de terras raras são muito importantes para a caracterização das produções cerâmicas e sua relação com as matérias-primas, uma vez que as variaçõessubtis que apresentam reflectem diferenças no seu comportamento em resposta ao sistema químico que as rodeiam, tornando este grupo particularmente útil em estudos de geoquímica. Deste modo, as terras raras são elementos traço cruciais em estudos de matérias-primas e no estabelecimento de proveniência de cerâmicas, contribuindo para a reconstrução de rotas comerciais em tempos antigos.

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“…One pot and one clay body from the potter were also analysed. Detailed mineralogical characterization of selected geological samples has been presented elsewhere (Marques et al . 2010) and comparative compositional analyses of clays and archaeological ceramics are the subject of a separate article (A.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, high fluctuations in Zr concentrations have been found between bulk sedimentary samples within as well as between sampling locations (A. Jorge 2010; Marques et al . 2010, 362).…”

Section: Chemical Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Plain Pottery and Social Landscapes: Reinterpreting the Significance of Ceramic Provenance in the Neolithic

2012

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This paper focuses on plain, stylistically unvaried pottery from three Late Neolithic sites from the Mondego Plateau, Portugal, and investigates ceramic production and exchange among small-scale prehistoric societies by means of thin-section petrography and chemical analysis (INAA). The results show that the majority of the pottery was made with widely available, granite-derived sedimentary clays, but petrographic differences between fabrics indicate collection at multiple locations within these deposits. Variation in chemical composition is consistent with site-specific sourcing areas, while comparison with data from earlier sites in the Mondego and surrounding mountains suggests that such sources were geographically restricted within the plateau. In contrast, the small percentage of vessels produced with residual clays of metamorphic and intermediate igneous origin, which outcrop over 10 km and 30 km from the archaeological sites, demonstrates that plain pottery did circulate during the Neolithic beyond the funerary sphere. This is the product of the routines of mobility and social networks of Neolithic groups across the wider landscape, which involved the exchange of 'mundane'vessels. Finally, the study demonstrates that micro-regional provenance studies can provide significant insights into prehistoric social landscapes if the data are interrogated beyond simplistic classifications of local and non-local. of prevailing theoretical perspectives, both in archaeology more generally and ceramic analytical studies in particular, rather than essentially an issue of limitation of the methods.A long-standing assumption governing the way in which this pottery continues to be perceived in such contexts is that it is 'mundane', utilitarian and locally produced for a group's own consumption. Its production is assumed to be largely self-evident, guided by the requirements of expedience, 'low cost', functionality and culture. In the absence of discrete stylistic categories, the relevance of prehistoric pottery is often reduced to a limited range of questions, particularly chronology, cultural identity and aspects of subsistence economy (e.g., storage). Crucially, its contribution to more complex social interpretations has been seen as negligible for two main reasons. First, 'mundane' pottery is not expected to have circulated through exchange. Given its common appearance, wide availability and use, and lack of special labour investment, it is thought unlikely to have participated in wealth or prestige economies. Second, this class of materials is considered not to provide information about social distinctions. Issues of access, status and other meanings become difficult or impossible to address when ceramic categories with different geographical distributions (wide/restricted, regional/local) and different perceived production costs or skill (plain/decorated, coarse/fine) cannot be distinguished. 'Mundane' pottery is equated with domestic production and use, and is therefore viewed as removed from political concerns and so...

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Clay resources in the Nelas region (Beira Alta), Portugal. A contribution to the characterization of potential raw materials for prehistoric ceramic production

Cited by 11 publications

References 30 publications

Patterns of rare earth and other trace elements in Paleogene and Miocene clayey sediments from the Mondego platform (Central Portugal)

Patterns of rare earth and other trace elements in Paleogene and Miocene clayey sediments from the Mondego platform (Central Portugal)

Rare earth elements as tracers for provenancing ancient ceramics

Plain Pottery and Social Landscapes: Reinterpreting the Significance of Ceramic Provenance in the Neolithic

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