The main objective of the present project is to investigate prehistoric pigments used for the decoration of ceramic vessels through micro-invasive analytical techniques. The elemental composition of the pigments will be determined by means of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), while Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) will be applied to identify their molecular structure. The results of the LIBS and FTIR analyses will provide valuable information about the raw materials used and the production technologies of ancient decorated pottery.
The study and preservation of Bulgaria’s cultural and historical heritage for future generations is among the most important tasks of contemporary society. The archaeological finds preserved to the present day are an important key to studying the past and establishing Bulgaria’s place and role as one of the centres of European civilization.
The investigation of archaeological artefacts using analytical spectroscopic methods makes it possible to determine the origin of objects and to study ancient production technologies. The main objective of the present project is to investigate prehistoric pigments used for the decoration of ceramic vessels through micro-invasive analytical techniques.
The elemental composition of the pigments will be determined by means of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), while Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) will be applied to identify their molecular structure. The results of the LIBS and FTIR analyses will provide valuable information about the raw materials used and the production technologies of ancient decorated pottery.
Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the studied artefacts will be classified according to the elements detected in the decoration and their relative proportions. The results obtained from LIBS, FTIR and PCA analyses will be interpreted in an archaeological context in order to formulate hypotheses regarding the possible transfer of knowledge related to the production of decorated pottery, or trade relations between the different cultures that inhabited the territory of present-day Bulgaria and neighbouring regions, as well as the development of technologies across different historical periods.
For the purposes of the project, a large number of fragments of prehistoric ceramic vessels decorated with white, yellow, red and brown pigments, applied as paint or incrustation, are planned to be studied. The samples originate from 20 archaeological sites on the territory of Bulgaria dating from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods.
The archaeometric study envisaged in the project, covering a significant number of decorated ceramic artefacts from multiple archaeological sites across Bulgaria and spanning two historical periods, will make a substantial contribution to enriching our knowledge of the everyday life and culture of the ancient civilizations that once inhabited our lands.
Funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund under the 2022 Call for Proposals for Fundamental Scientific Research of Young Scientists and Postdoctoral Researchers, Ministry of Education and Science.
Chief Assist. Prof. Dr. V. A. Tankova, ISSP - BAS
Chief Assist. Prof. Dr. Viktoria Atanasova, ISSP - BAS
Dr. Angelina Pirovska, Maritsa-East Archaeological Museum, Radnevo
