Major and trace element analysis of modern Egyptian pottery

A geochemical survey of modern traditional Egyptian pottery using a multi-element, multi-method approach provides a basis for interpreting sedimentary composition and manufacture location of different wares. Several pottery source compositions were investigated: ubiquitous Nile silts; calcareous silty clays (marls); mixtures of Nile silts with marl clays or carbonates; and other sediments. Each of these source compositions has a distinctive geochemical signature which can be used as a fingerprint. This geochemical fingerprint makes it possible to distinguish the following base ceramic compositions from each other: Nile silts; other silts; marl clays; mixtures of Nile silts and marl clays; mixtures of Nile silts and calcium carbonate. When combined with petrographic analysis, geochemistry is an especially powerful diagnostic tool. Such modern fingerprints aid in understanding modern pottery sourcing and composition and provide a potentially powerful tool for providing similar insights into patterns of ancient pottery production.