Glossary Archaeological method and dating
Petrographic analysis
Also called: petrography, thin-section analysis
Examining a thin slice of pottery or stone under a polarising microscope to identify its minerals and so where its clay or stone came from.
A slice about 0.03 mm thick is ground from a small sample and viewed in polarised light. The mineral grains and rock fragments in the clay can be matched with the geology of a region, and the way the clay was prepared and tempered can be seen. The varied geology of Cyprus, with the igneous Troodos massif at its centre, suits the approach well.
The most famous Cypriot application is to clay tablets. Petrographic study of the letters from the king of Alashiya found at Amarna and Ugarit matched their clay to southern Cyprus near Kalavasos and Alassa, a key argument for placing Alashiya on the island (Ugarit and the Levant). The method is also used to tell Cypriot pottery from local imitations abroad, such as Base Ring-style jugs made in the Levant.
Related terms
- Archaeometry
The use of physical and chemical science to analyse archaeological materials: their date, composition, source and manufacturing technique.
- Neutron activation analysis
A chemical technique that measures dozens of trace elements in a small sample, used above all to group pottery by clay source.
- Chaîne opératoire
French for 'operational sequence': the full chain of steps in making an object, from choosing raw materials to finishing and firing.
Where it appears
- Red Polished Ware
- Base Ring Ware
- Ugarit and the Levant
- Base Ring Bull Vessels
- Drab Polished Ware
- Egypt
- Jars (Amphora)
- Mycenaean Imports and Local Imitations
- Pottery Kilns and Firing in Ancient Cyprus
- White Painted Ware
- Amphora
- Base Ring Figurines (Astarte Type)
and 17 more compendium pages