Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Morphological and mineralogical evolution of microfossils during the heating process: a contribution to the archaeometric study of ceramics

  • Geosciences and Cultural Heritage
  • Published:
Rendiconti Lincei Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The role of microfossils for the ceramic paste characterization has been revealed through firing experiment. Ceramic samples were prepared with the clay of Monte San Giorgio (Sicily, Italy), that contains many microfossils that suffered relevant changes in the microstructure and chemical composition during firing temperature. The samples were fired at different conditions according to the presumed ancient techniques. The alteration and/or decomposition of mineral phases with temperature was observed with optical and electron microscopy by monitoring the mineral modifications at different firing conditions. In order to validate our approach on archaeological material, the analyses were performed also on ceramic fragments, furnished by the Ceramics Regional Museum “Antonino Ragona” of Caltagirone. The micropaleontological study, as component of the archaeometric analyses, seems to be a useful archaeothermometry for the evaluation of firing processes and sometimes decisive to distinguish the characteristics of the clay used in a given production.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alaimo R, Giarrusso R, Iliopoulos I, Montana G (2002) Archaic and classical ceramic artefacts from Caltagirone (Sicily): a first attempt for distinguishing imports and local imitations through petrography and chemistry. Periodico di Mineralogia 71:17–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Ardizzone F (1999) Le anfore recuperate sopra le volte del palazzo della Zisa e la produzione di ceramica comune a Palermo tra la fine dell’XI ed il XII secolo. Mélanges de l’Ecole française de Rome. Moyen-Age, Temps modernes, pp 7–50

  • Barone G, Lo Giudice A, Mazzoleni P, Pezzino A, Barilaro D, Crupi V, Triscari M (2005) Chemical characterization and statistical multivariate analysis of ancient pottery from Messina, Catania, Lentini and Siracusa (Sicily). Archaeometry 47:745–762

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Belfiore CM, Day PM, Hein A, Kilikoglou V, La Rosa V, Mazzoleni P, Pezzino A (2007) Petrographic and chemical characterization of pottery production of the Late Minoan I kiln at Hagia Triada, Crete. Archaeometry 49:621–653

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonanno C (1998) I sarcofagi fittili della Sicilia. L’ERMA di Bretschneider, Roma

    Google Scholar 

  • Brissaud I, Houdayer A (1986) Sponge spicules as a characteristic of ancient African pottery from Mali. J Field Archaeol 13:357–359

    Google Scholar 

  • Burrafato G, Gueli AM, Nicastro E, Privitera A, Stella G, Troja SO, Zuccarello AR (2009) Terracotta calatina: dalla produzione alla caratterizzazione archeometrica. Atti del Congresso Nazionale Società Italiana di Fisica, Bari, 28 settembre-3 ottobre 2009, p 110

  • Cita MB (1975) Studi sul Pliocene e gli strati di passaggio dal Miocene al Pliocene, VII. Planktonic foraminiferal biozonation of the Mediterranean Pliocene deep-sea record:a revision. Riv Ital Paleontol S 81:527–544

  • Cuomo Di Caprio N (2007) Ceramica in archeologia 2—antiche tecniche di lavorazione e moderni metodi di indagine. L’ERMA di Bretschnider, Roma, pp 91, 92, 494, 495

  • Di Grande A, Giandinoto V (2002) Plio-Pleistocene sedimentary facies and their evolution in centre-south-eastern Sicily: a working hypothesis. EGU Stephan Mueller Spec Publ Ser 1:211–221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flugel E (2004) Microfacies of carbonate rocks, analysis, interpretation and application. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gliozzo E, Memmi Turbanti I (2004) Black gloss pottery: production sites and technology in northern Etruria. Part I: provenance studies. Archaeometry 46:201–227

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gosselain OP (1992) Bonfire of the enquiries. Pottery firing temperatures in archaeology: what for? J Archaeol Sci 19:243–259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gradstein FM, Ogg J, Smith A (2004) A geologic time scale 2004. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK

  • Grasso M, Butler RWH, La Manna F (1991) Thin skinned deformation and structural evolution in the NE segment of the Gela Nappe, SE Sicily. Studi Geologici Camerti, Edimond, Camerino, Volume Speciale, pp 9–17

  • Gueli AM, Privitera A, Nicastro E, Stella G, Troja SO (2011) Ceramic of Caltagirone, from production to archaeometric characterization. In: Macchia A, Greco E, Chiarandà BA, Barbabietola N (eds) Contribute and role of youth in conservation of cultural heritage. YOCOCU, Palermo, pp 107–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Hein A, Day PM, Quinn PS, Kilikoglou V (2004) The geochemical diversity of Neogene clay deposits and its implications for provenance studies of Minoan pottery. Archaeometry 46:357–384

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Iaccarino S (1985) Mediterranean Miocene and Pliocene planktic foraminifera. In: Bolli HM, Saunders JB, Perch-Nielsen K (eds) Plankton stratigraphy, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, pp 283–314

  • Jansma MJ (1990) Diatoms from a Neolithic excavation on the former island of Schokland, Ijselmeepolders, the Netherlands. Diatom Res 5:301–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maggetti M, Olin JS, Franklin AD (1982) Phase analysis and its significance for technology and origin. In: Olin JS, Franklin AD (eds) Archaeological Ceramics. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, pp 121–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Maritan L, Mazzoli C, Freestone I (2007) Modelling changes in mollusc shell internal microstructure during firing: implications for temperature estimation in shell-bearing pottery. Archaeometry 49:529–541

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mirti P, Gulmini M, Pace M, Elia D (2004) The provenance of red figure vases from Locri Epizephiri (Southern Italy): new evidence by chemical analysis. Archaeometry 46:183–200

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montana G, Caruso A, Lavore AT, Polito AM, Sulli A (2006) Definizione delle “argille ceramiche” presenti nella Sicilia nord-occidentale: inquadramento geologico e ricaduta di carattere archeometrico, Il Quaternario. Ital J Q Sci 19:277–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Montana G, Polito AM, Sulli A, Caruso A, Azzaro E (2011) Le “argille ceramiche” della Sicilia occidentale e centrale. IlionBooks, Enna

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn PS (1999) A note on the behavior of calcareous nannofossils during the firing of ceramics. J Nannoplankton Res 21:31–32

    Google Scholar 

  • Quinn PS (2008) The occurrence and research potential of microfossils in inorganic archaeological materials. Geoarchaeology 23:275–291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quinn PS, Day PM (2007) Calcareous microfossils in bronze age aegean ceramics: illuminating technology and provenance. Archaeometry 49:775–793

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quinn PS, Alaimo R, Montana G (1998) Calcareous nannofossil analysis of ceramics and probable raw materials from an ancient Punic kiln site on the island of Mozia, western Sicily. J Nannoplankton Res 20:85–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rao A, Guido A, Mastandrea A, Perri E, Romano C, Russo F, Di Stefano E (2006) Integrated calcareous plankton biostratigraphy of selected Miocene successions in the Northern Calabria (Italy). Boll Soc Paleont It 45:115–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Rio D, Raffi I, Villa G (1990) Pliocene–Pleistocene calcareous nannofossil distribution patterns in the Western Mediterranean. In: Kastens KA, Mascle J (eds) Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, College Station, Texas, vol 107, pp 513–533

  • Rio D, Sprovieri R, Di Stefano E (1994) The Gelasian Stage: a proposal of a new cronostratigraphy unit of the Pliocene series. Riv Ital Paleontol S 100(1):103–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprovieri R (1992) Mediterranean Pliocene biochronology: a high resolution record based on quantitative planktonic foraminifer distribution. Riv Ital Paleontol S 98:61–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Sprovieri R (1993) Pliocene-early Pleistocene astronomically forced planktonic foraminifer abundance fluctuations and chronology of Mediterranean calcareous plankton bio-events. Riv Ital Paleontol S 99:371–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Tite MS, Maniatis Y (1975) Scanning electron microscopy of fired calcareous clays. T Br Ceram Soc 74:19–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Violanti D (2012) Pliocene Mediterranean foraminiferl biostratigraphy: a synthesis and application to the paleoenvironmental evolution of Northwestern Italy. In: Ömer E (ed) Stratigraphic analysis of layered deposits, ISBN: 978-953-51-0578-7, InTech, Rijeka. http://www.intechopen.com/books/stratigraphicanalysis-of-layered-deposits/pliocene-mediterranean-foraminiferl-biostratigraphy-a-synthesis-and-applicationto-the-paleoenviro. Accessed 8 April 2015

  • Walker JD, Geissman JW (2009) Geologic time scale. Geological Society of America. doi:10.1130/2009.CTS004R2C

  • Webb TL, Kruger JE (1970) Carbonates. In: Mackenzie RC (ed) Differential thermal analysis. Academic Press, London, pp 303–342

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson IP, Tasker A, Gouldwell A, Williams M, Edgeworth M, Zalasiewicz J, Christie N (2010) Micropalaeontology reveals the source of building materials for a defensive earthwork (English Civil War?) at Wallingford Castle, Oxfordshire. J Micropaleontol 29:89–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoon YY, Lee KY, Chung KS, Yang MK, Kim KH (2001) Classification of Korean old potteies by trace elements analysis. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 248:89–92

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We wish to tank Giovanni Patti and Silvano Marino who furnished the archaeological samples. The experimental samples were provided by the laboratory PH3DRA (Physics for Dating, Diagnostic, Dosimetry, Research and Applications) of University of Catania.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, Via Bucci, Cubo 15b, 87036, Rende, Cosenza, Italy

    Antonella Privitera, Adriano Guido, Adelaide Mastandrea, Anna Rao & Franco Russo

Authors
  1. Antonella Privitera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Adriano Guido
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Adelaide Mastandrea
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anna Rao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Franco Russo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adriano Guido.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Privitera, A., Guido, A., Mastandrea, A. et al. Morphological and mineralogical evolution of microfossils during the heating process: a contribution to the archaeometric study of ceramics. Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 26, 499–512 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-015-0443-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-015-0443-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation