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Synchrotron micro-XRD applied for the characterization of pottery from the Neolithic to Chalcolithic transitional period: a case study from Tappeh Zaghe, Iran

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Abstract

The production of pottery represented a significant pyro-technological progress in the ancient world. Two types of characteristics pottery from the transitional period (Neolithic to Chalcolithic) found at the Tappeh Zaghe in northern Iran were analyzed in order to investigate newly formed phases produced during the firing stage of pottery. This might have been a sign of technological evaluation through transitional period. Petrographic analysis, coupled with multi-image analysis, X-ray powder diffraction and environmental scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-rays (ESEM-EDX) provided information on the compassion and microstructure of ceramic samples. Synchrotron micro-XRD beamline allowed the spatial mapping of crystalline phases from near surface (at the surface) into the matrix of potteries and the detection of minute, major and minor phases. The mineralogical interaction between various primary phases and decomposition regard carbonate reaction within the potteries fabrication in the as-received. New phases were followed across the wall thickness which were achieved by sintering (partial or total) and show a clear transition from outer side to the core of the pottery.

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Notes

  1. DMS coordinates: 35° 46′ 48″ N and 49° 56′ 23″ E (Google maps).

  2. DMS coordinates: 36° 17′ 04″ N and 47° 44′ 17″ E (Google maps).

  3. DMS coordinates: 35° 46′ 23″ N and 49° 56′ 16″ E (Google maps).

  4. DMS coordinates: 35° 36′ 37″ N and 51° 26′ 59″ E (Google maps).

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by proposal ID 2017062250 at BL04-MSPD beamline, ALBA, Spain. This research has also been financially supported by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, and the Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran, Iran, in collaboration with ALBA Synchrotron, Barcelona, Spain. This project has been run and supported by Horizon 2020. The authors are sincerely thankful to the beamline scientists at BL04–MSPD in ALBA synchrotron. Special thanks are expressed to Prof. Javad Rahigi from IPM, Iran, and Prof. Miguel Aranda, the scientific director of ALBA, for all his collaboration and help in this project. Hereby, the corresponding author acknowledges the support from IdEx Fellowship program of the University Bordeaux during my scientific stay at IRAMAT-CRP2A, Institut de Recherche sur les Archéomatériaux, University Bordeaux Montaigne (France). The authors gratefully acknowledge anonymous reviewers for kindly proofreading this article and indicating important highlights to accomplish this paper; any remaining errors are our own.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Conservation of Cultural Properties and Archaeometry, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

    Mohammadamin Emami

  2. IRAMAT-CRP2A, Institut de Recherche sur les Archéomatériaux, Université Bordeaux Montaigne, Pessac, France

    Mohammadamin Emami & Remy Chapoulie

  3. ALBA Synchrotron Light Source - CELLS, Barcelona, Spain

    Oriol Vallcorba

  4. Department of Physics, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

    Amir Sayid Hassan Rozatian

  5. Research Centre for Conservation of Cultural Relics, Tehran, Iran

    Manijeh Hadian Dehkordi

  6. Department of Archaeology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Hassan Talaee

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  1. Mohammadamin Emami
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Correspondence to Mohammadamin Emami.

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Emami, M., Vallcorba, O., Rozatian, A.S.H. et al. Synchrotron micro-XRD applied for the characterization of pottery from the Neolithic to Chalcolithic transitional period: a case study from Tappeh Zaghe, Iran. Eur. Phys. J. Plus 136, 63 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-020-01035-x

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