Research Explorer

Project

Studying the origin and use of the oldest prehistoric pottery in north Belgium using high-end mass spectrometric methods
Code
3F015817
Duration
01 October 2017 → 30 September 2021
Funding
Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Instrumental methods
  • Humanities and the arts
    • Prehistoric archaeology
Keywords
elemental analysis mass spectrometry isotopic analysis Prehistory Clay provenancing Prehistory (Stone Age) Comparative Quantitative chemical fingerprinting clay sourcing neolithization pottery Belgium Western Europe Archaeology
 
Project description
 

Prehistoric pottery sherds from the Scheldt basin will be analyzed via high-end mass spectrometric techniques. Elemental “fingerprinting” and isotopic analysis of selected elements within the clay fraction will be relied on for provenancing the clay. Compound-specific isotopic analysis of absorbed organic residues will reveal the diet of the users, which will also aid in adequate sampling for reliable radiocarbon dating.