Archaeometric Study of Iron Age Pottery Production in Central Sicily: A Case of Technological Conservatism

Abstract

This study presents an in-depth archaeometric investigation of Iron Age ceramic assemblage dating from 950 to 750 BCE from the sanctuary at Polizzello Mountain, Sicily. The site, a key sanctuary utilized by indigenous communities for ritual activities, is examined for its strategic location, structural developments, pottery assemblages, and evidence of communal activities. The study employs petrographic analysis on thin sections, integrated with other analytical methods, to explore the technology behind pottery production. It investigates whether such production reflects a common technological knowledge shared by a broader community or if they represent a blend of different manufacturing traditions. The findings highlight that the pottery from Polizzello Mountain aligns with the well-established Sicilian tradition of combining calcareous components and grog, indicating a local tradition of pottery production with no significant compositional differences suggesting specialized production at the workshop level.

Keywords

• pottery technology
• iron age
• sicily
• optical microscopy
• thin sections
• petrography