Archeological study of the 5th-6th Century BC ceramics of northwest Basilicata [Studio archeometrico delle ceramiche del VI - IV sec. a.C. del centro indigeno di Baragiano (Pz)]

The potters of the 6th-5th century b. C. discovery in the native centre of north western Basilicata (Baragiano), the Pliocene clays cropping out near Baragiano town (PZ) and the bricks of local manufacture have been analysed. The mineralogical and petrographic compositions of ancient ceramic are mainly homogenous. Some differences concerning absence-presence of ghelenite due to temperature of firing are present. Also chemically few differences have been found among the studied ceramics: the Ceramica acroma presents higher content of CaO while the Ceramica a vernice nera is characterised by lower values of CaO and Al2O3 and higher contents of SiO2. The mineralogical, petrographic and geochemical composition of the bricks and of the clay is quite similar. When the composition (major and trace elements) of clays and ancient ceramics are compared, it appears that only Ceramica acroma has been produced utilising the clays of neighbourhood.