3Eötvös University, Dept. of Petrology and Geochemistry, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány sétány 1/c., gherdan@vartech.hu

Applicability of PGAA on pottery archaeometry has been proved in investigations of pre-Columbian figurines from Venezuela [1]. PGAA is a non-destructive bulk analytical method, capable to determine concentration of major- and some trace components. We take part in the MÖB-DAAD project aimed to investigate Hungarian Neolithic pottery, and also in an IAEA CRP with more methodological objectives [2].

Within the frame of the MÖB-DAAD project, we have analysed pottery fragments and soil samples with PGAA. The pieces have been previously excavated on Neolithic settlements of Szarvas-Endrőd and Tiszalúc region (South-East Hungary and North-East Hungary, respectively). Until now, 11 pottery fragments + 10 soil samples from Tiszalúc site, and 15 pottery fragments + 2 soil samples from Szarvas-Endrőd site have been measured.

According to our previous experiences on ancient pottery, we are able to determine the major components (SiO₂, TiO₂ Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃ MnO MgO CaO Na₂O and K₂O) of the bulk material. In most cases, also some accessory- and trace element concentrations, like B, Cl, Sc, V, Co, Cr, Nd, Sm, Eu and Gd can be determined. Most of the investigated objects have already been analysed with XRF and INAA too.

According to our preliminary results, the agreement between the PGAA and XRF data for the common elements are good. Although XRF exhibit a better sensitivity for most components, PGAA provides the additional possibility to determine the concentration of B and H₂O. Although the number of samples is small yet, averaging the pottery vs. soil compositions suggests that pottery contains significantly higher amount of Cl and B, and lower amount of Mn what has to be explained.

The effect of firing on the composition of clay has been investigated, too. Two pairs of clay samples before and after firing at 700 ºC were measured by PGAA. It has been shown that only the water content changes significantly during firing procedure, the rest remain unchanged.

We took part in a Proficiency Test – organized by the IAEA – on Chinese porcelain reference sample that has resulted in the following outcome: All the identified components with PGAA agreed with the reported target values, excluding Na, which we have quantified with a significant deviation from the target value.

1. Zs. Kasztovszky, M. M. Antczak, A. Antczak, B. Millan, J. Bermúdez, L. Sajo-Bohus: Provenance study of Amerindian pottery figurines with prompt gamma activation analysis, Nukleonika 49 Nr. 3 (2004) 107-113.
2. In: Report of the 2^nd Research Coordination Meeting on “Applications of Nuclear Analytical Techniques to Investigate the Authenticity of Art Objects” 18 to 22 Sept. 2006, IAEA Headquarters, Vienna, Austria, p. 36.