Spectroscopic, Microscopic, and Thermal Methods in Characterization of Early Bronze Age Ceramics From Tilbaşar Site in the Middle Euphrates Region

ABSTRACT This study presents the results of a detailed archaeometric research on Early Bronze Age red‐slip wares and corrugated goblet wares from Tilbaşar (located on 12 km southeastern of Oğuzeli district of Gaziantep, Turkey). It was aimed to identify the production features of the samples by using multiple analysis techniques such as x‐ray diffraction (XRD), petrography, scanning electron microcopy/energy dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis (TG‐DTA). The chemical and mineral/phase contents of the ceramics were criticized taking into account the results achieved through the analytical analysis methods employed. The firing features (maximum temperature range, firing technique etc.) of the potsherds were evaluated considering the whole data. The raw materials of both groups are found to be calcareous (in general) which would suggested a local production (considering the geological formation of the region). The results indicated low firing temperatures (700°C–800°C) for the red‐slip wares and relatively higher temperatures (800°C–900°C) for the corrugated goblet wares. The whole analytical data proposed differences between these two ceramic groups in terms of the production technology. The results were also comparatively handled with the former studies on Bronze Age ceramics from Tilbaşar.