Investigating the pottery firing techniques in western Slovenia during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages using FTIR and petrographic analysis

Abstract

This study focuses on the analysis of pottery firing techniques during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages in the Karst region of Slovenia. Given the absence of archaeological structures, we adopted an alternative research approach, employing FTIR and ceramic thin-section analysis. The archaeological material underwent study using a model derived from archaeological experiments, which encompassed firing techniques in both pits and pottery kilns. Our research successfully identified that various firing structures were utilized during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages.

Keywords

• pottery
• firing techniques
• experimental archaeology
• petrographic analysis
• FTIR - Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy analysis
• Karst