Time-of-flight neutron diffraction characterization of ceramic findings from southern and western Sicily

We present the results of a study that is part of a wider research programme regarding
knowledge of the initial living phases of Sicilian agricultural and pastoral society. Three sets
of ceramic samples were analysed through time-of-flight neutron diffraction (TOF-ND) to
derive information about the composition of the clay and the manufacturing techniques. The first
two sets of sherds came from an excavation in Licata, close to Agrigento, and are composed
of findings dated around the third century
BC
, while the third set was of samples from
prehistoric sites located in the northwestern part of Sicily. Measurements were performed
to obtain a quantitative identification of the mineralogical composition of the samples
in a totally non-destructive way. Hints about manufacturing techniques and firing
temperatures are derived to provide information on provenance and production processes
of the objects.