Chemical Characterization and Comparison of Ceramic Samples from Ramnous and Laurion

Abstract

Instrumental neutron activation analysis is, up to now, one of the most important analytical methods for the investigation of the chemical composition of ancient ceramics. At the reactor of the NCSR “Demokritos”, 21 ceramic fragments of the area of ancient Ramnous and 23 pieces from ancient Laurion were examined. The ceramic fragments were mainly from utilitarian vessels, which belonged to the fourth and third century BC. All pieces were without any decoration, aside from some black colours on one side. From all samples, data could be obtained for the elements As, Eu, La, Th, U, Sb, and Zn. The statistical evaluation of the mean values of these elements, as well as the correlation coefficients for the corresponding element combinations, showed that the fragments from ancient Ramnous were different from those of ancient Laurion. Cluster and factor analysis demonstrated that the samples from both places are separated into two independent groups. However, the separation is not very good, as the groups remain close together. The reason might be that the geological raw materials in such a closed area do not differ too much in its chemical composition profiles. Nevertheless, the results indicated that the utilitarian ceramics were obviously not objects for trade between these two regions, but remained items of local production.

Keywords:

• Ancient Ramnous
• Ancient Laurion
• Instrumental neutron activation analysis
• Utilitarian ceramics
• Cluster analysis
• Factor analysis

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for the staff of NCSR Demokritos reactor for performing the irradiations. They also thank Mrs. E. Giannakopoulou for her help in the preparation and the measuring of the samples.