Physicochemical characterisation of pottery from the Vinca culture, Serbia, regarding the firing temperature and decoration techniques

• Published in: Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society 2016-01, Vol.81 (12), p.1415–1426-1426
• Main Authors: Perisic, Nebojsa, Maric-Stojanovic, Milica, Andric, Velibor, Mioc, Ubavka, Damjanovic, Ljiljana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ancient ceramics; bone; Bones; Ceramics; Clay minerals; Culture; Decoration; Fourier transforms; FTIR spectroscopy; Pigments; Pottery; Stone Age; X ray powder diffraction; X-ray fluorescence; XRF spectroscopy
• ISSN: 0352-5139; 1820-7421
• DOI: 10.2298/JSC160823100P

A study of decorated Neolithic pottery samples from the excavation site Pločnik, Serbia, was performed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. The investigated samples belong to the era of the Vinča culture that existed in the central Balkan region from the mid VI until the first half of the V millen­nium BCE. The mineralogical composition of the pottery samples and com­parison of the investigated pottery with thermally treated local clay indicated firing temperatures in the range from 600 to 800 °C. Two different types of white pigments were identified in white incrusted decorations: calcium carbo­nate and bone white (composed of crushed bones). This is the first evidence of the use of bones for decorations in pottery of the Vinča culture from the excav­ation site Pločnik. In addition to this, it was revealed that the potters used the iron reduction technique for obtaining black decorations.