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Composition, technology and provenance of Roman pottery from Napoca (Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2019

Ágnes Gál ,
Corina Ionescu ,
Mátyás Bajusz ,
Vlad A. Codrea ,
Volker Hoeck ,
Lucian Barbu-Tudoran ,
Viorica Simon ,
Marieta Mureșan-Pop  and
Zsolt Csók
Ágnes Gál
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Corina Ionescu*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Archeotechnologies & Archeological Material Sciences Laboratory, Institute of International Relations, History and Oriental Studies, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Tatarstan, Russia
Mátyás Bajusz
Affiliation:
National Museum of History of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Vlad A. Codrea
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Volker Hoeck
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Division Geography and Geology, Paris Lodron University, Salzburg, Austria
Lucian Barbu-Tudoran
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies – INCDTIM, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Viorica Simon
Affiliation:
Faculty of Physics, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca Romania
Marieta Mureșan-Pop
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca Romania
Zsolt Csók
Affiliation:
National Museum of History of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
*
*E-mail: corina.ionescu@ubbcluj.ro
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Abstract

Second-century CE (common era) household pottery sherds found in the city of Napoca (present day Cluj-Napoca, Romania) in Roman Dacia were investigated by polarized light optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and cold field emission scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to obtain information on technology, raw materials and site of production. Compositionally, all samples are similar with comparable fine and semi-fine microstructures and oriented microtextures. Optically, there is a gradual transition from microcrystalline to an amorphous illitic-muscovitic matrix. The small aplastic inclusions are mostly quartz and feldspar. Fine-grained carbonate aggregates are distributed inhomogeneously in the ceramic body. Well-preserved Middle Miocene foraminifera tests are characteristic of the ceramics. The gradual thermal changes of the matrix and the newly formed phases upon firing, such as ‘ceramic melilite’, Fe-gehlenite, clinopyroxene, glass, hematite and some maghemite support inferences regarding the technological constraints in producing the pottery. The firing took place in a mostly oxidizing atmosphere and the temperature extended from at least 850°C to >900°C. The Middle Miocene marly clay from the area surrounding the site shows similar mineralogical and micropalaeontological contents to those of the ceramic specimens and is the best candidate for the raw material used for local production of the Roman pottery.

Keywords

archaeoceramicsOMXRPDFTIRCFE-SEM-EDXmicrofossilstechnologyprovenance
Type
Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 53 , Issue 4 , December 2018 , pp. 621 - 641
Copyright
Copyright © Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2018 

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Footnotes

Editor: George Christidis

References

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