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Rehydroxyiation of clay minerals and hydration in ancient pottery from the ‘Land of Geshur’

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Abstract

Rehydroxylation of clay minerals and hydration in Bronze and Iron Age pottery from the ‘Land of Geshur’ (east of the Sea of Galilee), were investigated by IR thermospectrometry. A weak OH band, which resembles those in smectite or illite, exists in most samples, but it is masked by the water bands at lower temperature. Two types of transformation of clay minerals occur during firing of raw materials, reversible and nonreversible dehydroxylation, taking place at a relatively low and high firing temperatures, respectively.

Clay minerals rehydroxylate and reconstruct after relatively higher firing temperatures in noncalcareous raw materials than in calcareous ones. These processes take place after higher temperatures in cooking pots made from the former type of raw material as compared with storage and table-ware vessels made from the latter.

The absorbed water in the pottery is mainly connected with the dominant X-ray amorphous matter formed by the firing process.

Zusammenfassung

Mittels IR-Thermospektrometrie wurde die Rehydroxylierung von Tonerdemineralien und die Hydratierung in Geschirr aus dem Bronze- und Eisenzeitalter, aus dem “Land der Geshur” (Osten des Galiläischen Meeres) untersucht. Eine schwache OH-Bande, die denen in Smektit oder Illit ähnelt, existiert in den meisten Proben, es wird aber bei niedrigeren Temperaturen durch Wasserbanden verdeckt. Während des Brennens von Rohmaterial finden zweierlei Umwandlungen der Tonerdemineralien statt, bei relativ niedrigen Temperaturen reversible und bei relativ hohen Temperaturen nichtreversible Dehydroxylierung.

Tonerdemineralien werden in kalkfreiem Rohmaterial nach relativ höheren Brenntemperaturen rehydroxyliert und wiederaufgebaut als in kalkhaltigen. Diese Prozesse verlaufen nach höheren Temperaturen in Kochtöpfen aus ersterem Rohmaterial im Vergleich zu Vorrats- und Eßgeschirr aus letzterem Material.

Das in der Töpferware adsorbierte Wasser ist in erster Linie an dem beim Brennprozeß gebildeten, röntgenmäßig amorphen Material gebunden.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geology and Physics Group, The Open University of Israel, Tel-Aviv

    S. Shoval, Y. Kirsh, D. Levy & M. Gaft

  2. Insntute of Archaeology, Tel-Aviv University, Israel

    P. Beck & E. Yadin

  3. Geological Survey of Israel, Jerusalem

    S. Shoval

Authors
  1. S. Shoval
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  2. P. Beck
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  3. Y. Kirsh
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  4. D. Levy
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  5. M. Gaft
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  6. E. Yadin
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Additional information

Dedicated to Prof. Dr. H. J. Seifert on the occasion of his 60th birthday

This research was supported by the Basic Research Foundation administered by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. This support is gratefully acknowledged.

The pottery was excavated by the ‘Land of Geshur Archaeological Project’, the Institute of Archaeology, Tel-Aviv University, M. Kochavi, director.

The work was carried out while the first author was a visiting scientist at the Geological Survey in Jerusalem. The author expresses his appreciation to Dr. Yaacov Nathan and Mr. Yoetz Deutsch of the Geological Survey, for the hospitality and helpful discussions.

The authors express their appreciation to L. Vinitzky from the Institute of Archaeology, Tel-Aviv University for supplying the Intermediate Bronze pottery and useful discussions.

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Shoval, S., Beck, P., Kirsh, Y. et al. Rehydroxyiation of clay minerals and hydration in ancient pottery from the ‘Land of Geshur’. Journal of Thermal Analysis 37, 1579–1592 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01913490

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01913490

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