Thin section petrography of northern Lesser Antilles ceramics

Abstract

Thin sections from 44 sherds representing eight prehistoric sites on four islands (Barbuda, Montserrat, Anguilla, St. Martin) in the northern Lesser Antilles (West Indies) were examined using a petrographic microscope. Point counting distinguished three temper associations: (1) exclusively volcanic,(2) volcanic and carbonate, and (3) volcanic, carbonate, and grog. Exclusively volcanic or dominantly volcanic (with low carbonate) temper associations occur in all Saladoid and many post‐Saladoid sherds, with plagioclase feld‐spar and volcanic rock fragments being most abundant. Thin sections with significant carbonate content or with grog were restricted to post‐Saladoid sherds from Barbuda and to a lesser extent Anguilla. the presence of volcanic grains in sherds from the limestone islands of Barbuda and Anguilla indicates that volcanic islands in the region served as sources of pottery (or volcanic temper) for these two islands.

Petrography and Provenance of Sand Temper Within Ceramic Sherds from Carriacou, Southern Grenadines, West Indies

“…Using the data from Donahue et al. (), the mean percentages of quartz, feldspar, and lithic fragments were recalculated to 100% and added to the QFL diagram in Figure . The Montserrat and St. Martin sherds plot within the Carriacou sherd range (QFL%F = >62%).…”

“…Histograms (average composition) comparing temper from Carriacou and Petit Martinique to temper from the northern Lesser Antilles (modified from Donahue et al, ), and beach sand samples from Carriacou and Grenada. Components are as follows: Lv = volcanic lithics; P = plagioclase; Op = opaque minerals; Px = pyroxene; Q = quartz; Carb = carbonate including bioclasts; Grog = recycled pottery fragment.…”

“…Figure shows histograms comparing the average composition of the sherds from Carriacou to those analyzed by Donahue et al (). In comparison to the other tempers, Anguilla and Barbuda both contain significantly higher average percentages of volcanic lithic fragments (total Lv% = 43–53%) and carbonate (total Carb% = 2–14%), and lower average percentages of plagioclase (total%P = 31–38%).…”

It all comes out in the wash: Actualistic petrofacies modeling of temper provenance, Tonto Basin, Arizona, USA

“…For instance, sands draining all of the formations present in a study area must be collected and analyzed petrographically to characterize the raw materials available for the production of a sand-tempered ware (Shepard, 1936:411, 563, 578). Limited collections of potential sand temper resources have been included in investigations of prehistoric ceramic production and distribution in the southwest Pacific region (Rye, 1981;Dye and Dickinson, 1996), the Middle East (Beynon et al, 1986;Goren and Gilead, 1987;Goren, 1992), and the Lesser Antilles (Donahue et al, 1990). Much more complete characterization studies of potential sand temper resources have been conducted in the Sonoran Desert region of the North American Southwest (Miksa and Heidke, 1995;Heidke et al, 1996;Lombard, 1987b;Miksa et al, 1998;Miksa, 2000).…”

Technological Changes in Prehistoric Ceramics from Eastern Puerto Rico: An Exploratory Study

“…Little attention has been paid to other ceramic dimensions, which address function and technology traits (see Goodwin, 1979;Mann, 1986;Donahue, Watters & Millspaugh, 1990;Lambert et al, 1990;Carini, 1991;Winter & Gilstrap, 1991;Feuss & Donahue, 1992;van As & Jacobs, 1992;Feuss et al, 1993 for few exceptions). If these traits can be measured accurately, functional and technological variables can be useful in spatial, chronological, and comparative studies of ceramics, and can help explain changes in material culture.…”