Observations at microscope on pottery fabric of some ceramic fragments from Gumelniţa tell settlements Hârșova and Bordușani Popină
Observations at microscope on pottery fabric of some ceramic fragments from Gumelniţa tell settlements Hârșova and Bordușani Popină

Summary/Abstract: : In this paper we present preliminary results of microscopic study on pottery fabric of few ceramic fragments discovered in Chalcolithic tell settlements Hârşova and Borduşani Popină. Analysis of 20 sherds considered the characterization of their paste fabric in terms of texture, microstructure, porosity, composition and color, in order to characterize technological issues related to preparing the mixture and combustion conditions, identify materials used and indicate possible natural sources for them. The main identified paste types are characterized by the presence, constantly, of small pottery fragments ("crushed ceramic"), as well as plant fragments such as straw, or even coprolites (probably sheep and goat types, as suggesting the presence of phyto-sferolites). A special case is that of the bivalve shell fragments that are observed not only in ceramic fragments attributed to Cernavodă I culture (as presented in literature), but also in one of Gumelniţa ceramic fragments from Borduşani Popină, as with the fine carbonate fragments (limestone rounded grains). Also were found units of surface finishing (fine pure clay slip) added at the external surface of pots, and simple surface (mostly external) finish in very wet state, without addition of clay. Combustion temperature is estimated quite low because not produce transformations of mineral grains and does not allow the complete combustion of vegetable matter in the mixture. The ceramic fragments from Hârşova present oxidation zone on the external surface, while some ceramic fragments from Borduşani present symmetrical zones of oxidation, suggesting different ways of arranging the dishes in the oven (for example, for Hârşova in stack, upside down). To complete this study, it is particularly important the clay mineral analysis by X-ray diffraction method. Also, this study must be developed in a systematic way, by reference to the main types of paste that can be identified macroscopically and with binocular magnifier, and also by their correlation with the types of vessels identified.

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