Analytical investigation of archaeological pottery fragments excavated from Porunthal, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Abstract Within the framework of a technological study of pottery production of Porunthal, Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, India, the chemical composition and mineralogy of the 7 potteries of different varieties from that archaeological site were studied using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis-derivative thermogravimetry (TGA-DTG), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS). The analytical data obtained from several analyses were used to determine the mineral transformations during firing, such as quartz, feldspar, and iron oxides (hematite and magnetite), firing temperature, and firing conditions. The results of all the techniques confirmed that all the samples were manufactured by the artisans locally with the same raw materials and also were fired at the same temperature.

Keywords

• archaeological samples
• Porunthal/India
• FTIR
• XRD
• thermal analysis
• SEM-EDS