Provenance and exchange networks of Mycenaean pottery from Tell Atchana/Alalakh, Southern Türkiye: A comparative ICP-MS and petrographic investigation

This paper presents the results of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and petrographic analyses conducted on Mycenaean pottery assemblages—specifically Late Helladic (LH) IIIA2 and LH IIIC-style ceramics—recovered from the Late Bronze Age II and Early Iron Age levels at Tell Atchana, the ancient city of Alalakh in southern Türkiye. A total of 90 ceramic samples were analyzed by ICP-MS, and a subset of 36 samples were examined petrographically to investigate their provenance and assess patterns of ceramic production and exchange in the eastern Mediterranean. The analytical results indicate that the LH IIIA2 pottery was most likely imported to the site from the northeastern Peloponnese, with its compositional and petrographic uniformity suggesting production within a relatively restricted source area. In contrast, LH IIIC-style pottery exhibits characteristics consistent with local production. Although limited in extent, the data also point to regional interaction and the possible continuation of restricted Aegean contacts during the Early Iron Age. By integrating compositional and petrographic evidence, this study contributes to a broader understanding of the local, regional, and long-distance exchange networks associated with Alalakh during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages. Furthermore, the results shed new light on the relationship between LH IIIC-style pottery and other contemporary local ceramic traditions, providing insights into processes of cultural continuity, technological transmission, and changing patterns of production and exchange in the post-collapse eastern Mediterranean world.