Firing Conditions, Mineralogical Composition and Microstructural Characteristics of Prehistoric Ceramics from Azerbaijan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2026.4.35.50Keywords:
Pottery, Archaeometry, Prehistoric, Archaeology, South CaucasusAbstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the firing conditions, mineral assemblage and microstructural characteristics of prehistoric ceramics from Azerbaijan using an integrated archaeometric approach. Twelve ceramic fragments from six Neolithic and Chalcolithic archaeological sites were selected as case-study samples intended to demonstrate the applicability of integrated archaeometric methods rather than to provide a statistically representative characterization of prehistoric pottery in Azerbaijan. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the integrated archaeometric comparison of ceramic materials from multiple archaeological sites through the combined application of thermal analysis (TG/DTG/DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that the ceramics were fired at relatively moderate temperatures, generally around 700 °C. The ceramic matrix is dominated by quartz and feldspar phases (predominantly albite), whereas the preservation of calcite suggests incomplete thermal decomposition. Thermal analysis revealed characteristic transformation stages, and SEM observations demonstrated the preservation of lamellar structures in the archaeological samples and their modification after experimental heating. The analyzed samples display broadly similar thermal and mineralogical characteristics, although the limited dataset does not permit broader conclusions regarding regional ceramic production traditions.
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