Naslov
Mineralogy and geochemistry of Bronze Age potsherds: weathering influence of a Mediterranean climate (Cres Island, Croatia)

Autori
Ilijanić, Nikolina ; Miko, Slobodan ; Hasan, Ozren ; Posilović, Hrvoje

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
ACTA Mineralogica-Petrographica, Abstract series, Volume 6 (special selection), MECC2010 Budapest / Zaharia, L., Kis, A., Topa, B., Papp, G., Weiszburg, T.G. - Segedin : University of Szeged, 2010

Skup
5th Mid-European Clay Conference

Mjesto i datum
Budimpešta, Mađarska, 25.08.2010. - 29.08.2010

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Potsherds; Bronze Age; Mediterranean climate

Sažetak
The aim of this study was to study the causes of well preserved status of potsherds in bronze age hill forts on Cres island (Northern Adriatic Sea) exposed to Mediterranean climate and their buried equivalents in colluvial deposits. The island of Cres has a long history of settlement and hosts some very important Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze age sites. Due to erosion large areas are bare karst lacking soil cover and prehistoric potsherds can be found in stonewalls of hill forts or caves. The potsherds were analyzed by microscopy methods as well as geochemistry to study the weathering process in both exposed and buried potsherds. The colluvial soil containing potsherds was dated and a calibrated 14C AMS date ranging from 2030 to 1870 BC was obtained. Under the optical microscope, the potsherds are texturally homogeneous and display inclusions of similar type, abundance, and grain size. XRD analysis show that they contain quartz and calcite as dominant mineral phases, and less amount of micas and feldspars (K-feldspar and plagioclase). The enrichment of Ca in exposed potsherd rims is accompanied by depletion of light REE’s and enrichment of heavy REE’s. The results show that potsherds exposed to the Mediterranean climate for four thousand years have an improved durability due to calcite re-crystallization and notable change in the chemical composition of potsherd rims which have to be considered when using bulk geochemistry for provenance studies.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Geologija

POVEZANOST RADA