Search Results (251)

This paper presents the geochemical characterisation of Penha-type ceramics, one of the most iconic prehistoric ceramics in Western Iberia. Penha pottery was a widespread material expression in Late Neolithic communities who displayed significant socio-cultural transformation before the advent of the Metal Ages. Samples (108) from seven archaeological sites in Galicia (NW Spain) were analysed by XRD, FTIR-ATR and ICP-MS to determine their mineral, molecular and elemental composition, respectively. The results indicate that most vessels are compositionally consistent with local geological sources, whether mafic or felsic, pointing to strong intra-site production. The use of raw materials seems to have been selective, and there are minor discordances and mixed compositions in almost all sites. The selected methods were effective in determining temper composition, while FTIR-ATR was also informative of clay transformations due to firing. The firing conditions were generally low-temperature (600–900 °C) with relatively short times (<5 h), compatible with simple kiln technology. Archaeometric evidence suggests two scales of mobility: predominant local mobility and limited long-distance exchange (coastal/inland). The geochemical characterisation reveals that individual communities seem to have developed their own customised recipes for pottery production using a profound knowledge of available local resources. Full article

In 2019, a joint team from Sichuan University, China, and the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, excavated the Mantai port site, unearthing numerous pottery sherds. Traditional typological analysis suggests that these sherds are associated with diverse cultural contexts. However, typological analysis, which relies mainly on visually observable features, generally provides only broad, macroscopic classifications. Moreover, most excavated sherds are fragmentary and lack diagnostic features, which may lead to misclassification. To address this issue, 44 representative pottery sherds were analyzed by proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) combined with elastic backscattering spectrometry (EBS) for elemental analysis. Factor analysis of the elemental data revealed two compositionally distinct and internally consistent clusters within the complex assemblage, corresponding respectively to Roman Red Ware and Roman Black Ware, and identified several possible typological misclassifications among visually similar Roman and Indian wares. The comparatively homogeneous elemental compositions of these two groups suggest the use of relatively consistent raw material recipes. Microstructural observations and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses also identified two sherds with mineralogical characteristics distinct from other samples. This multi-technique approach refines classification of visually ambiguous pottery and provides a useful analytical framework for interpreting pottery from culturally complex trade-port contexts. Full article

The detection of small archaeological artifacts in high-resolution aerial imagery is challenged by minimal target size and local spectral and geometric similarity to background soils. This study identifies a failure mode in end-to-end deep learning where radiometrically dominant chromatic signals destabilize gradient-based optimization, leading to rapid training collapse. Using UAV imagery of Maya archaeological sites in Belize, we examine fingernail-sized ceramic sherds characterized by a consistent reddish hue. A Hue-Weighted Loss Function (HWLF) is introduced as a diagnostic instrument. Under severe class imbalance, chromatic gradients suppress geometric feature learning, collapsing detection within 300 iterations. Motivated by this discovery, we propose a staged detection architecture that decouples geometric candidate generation from chromatic validation. Candidates are detected via a transformer-based object detector and validated using hue constraints derived from unmodified 16-bit HSV representations. This approach reduced the Phase I candidate pool (177,148 geometric detections) to 1647 prioritized detections—a 99.1% reduction—while retaining 97.8% of annotated targets (F1 = 0.731). Chromatic priors may be more effective as decoupled post-inference discriminants than as embedded end-to-end optimization signals under severe class imbalance, where their gradient influence risks suppressing geometric feature learning entirely. Full article

This study investigates a red pottery eave-end tile (Wadang) from the Minyue Kingdom Imperial City (Western Han Dynasty), a World Heritage Site in Fujian. By integrating quantitative petrography, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy, we systematically characterized its microstructure and production technology. Scientific analyses identify the raw material as local feldspathic–quartz clay, evidenced by angular, ill-sorted quartz inclusions with significant distributional heterogeneity. XRD analysis identified a rigid quartz skeleton, while Raman spectroscopy further revealed a hematite-rich surface formed under an oxidizing atmosphere. While typological analysis confirms a mid-Western Han Cloud Pattern style influenced by the Central Plains, the observed microstructural heterogeneity indicates a production mode characterized by high individual craftsmanship but low overall standardization. These findings highlight the Minyue artisans’ adaptive fusion of imperial aesthetics with indigenous manufacturing techniques, providing material evidence for the center–periphery cultural exchange in the Han Empire. Full article

We present a real-time virtual pottery simulation system providing interactive mesh deformation, vertex painting and triplanar texture projection. The system allows users to shape a virtual clay object using natural hand movements captured by a Leap Motion sensor. Two mesh-manipulation approaches are examined: a vertex-based touch simulation that utilizes neighborhood graphs and Laplacian smoothing, and a B-spline-based deformation that enables smooth global shaping. A texturing pipeline tailored to procedurally generated geometry that lacks UV coordinates is also presented. It enables flexible visual customization of the pottery without offline UV unwrapping. Full article

Ceramic production technology is a key indicator of craft specialization and social differentiation in Late Neolithic societies of the Central Plains. This study investigates Longshan-period pottery excavated from three representative sites, Niumugang, Zhoulonggang, and Shigudui in western Shangqiu, Henan Province. A suite of archaeometric techniques, including X-ray fluorescence (XRF), infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), was employed to systematically examine the chemical composition, mineralogical phases, thermal behavior, and microstructural characteristics of the pottery assemblages. The results reveal statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the contents of major ceramic-forming oxides (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, CaO, etc.) among the three sites. Pottery from the Shigudui site exhibits the narrowest range of compositional variation, whereas that from the Zhoulonggang site shows moderate dispersion. In contrast, pottery from the Niumugang site displays the widest compositional range. Mineralogical analyses indicate that pottery from all three sites is primarily composed of quartz, mica, and mullite. Notably, the high degree of mineralogical homogeneity observed in the Shigudui assemblage reflects a well-controlled and technologically mature firing process. Microstructural observations further demonstrate that pottery from the Shigudui site is characterized by uniformly dense fabrics, functionally differentiated vessels from the Zhoulonggang site exhibit clear technological stratification, and black pottery from the Niumugang site shows highly compact microstructures. These technological patterns closely correspond to differences in vessel assemblages and indicate varying levels of craft specialization and production control. Together, the results provide archaeometric evidence for the differentiation of settlement hierarchy and the development of specialized handicraft production during the Longshan period, contributing to a deeper understanding of regional technological interaction and social processes within the Longshan cultural sphere of the Central Plains. Full article

Identifying primary ceramic forming techniques is often problematic when surface traces are altered or erased by secondary shaping on the potter’s wheel, particularly in vessels combining hand-building and wheel use. This study aims to develop a quantitative, non-destructive method to distinguish wheel-throwing and wheel-coiling techniques by analyzing internal fabric features. Experimental replicas of Middle Minoan handleless conical cups (18th cent. BC), produced using wheel-throwing-off-the-hump and wheel-coiling techniques, were investigated using X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT). Macropores were segmented from complete 3D µCT datasets and their shape preferred orientation was quantitatively assessed through ellipsoid fitting, orientation distribution functions, and pole figure analysis. The results reveal systematic and reproducible differences between the two forming techniques: wheel-coiled vessels show predominantly horizontal pore elongation, expressed as equatorial girdle textures and vertically clustered short axes, whereas wheel-thrown vessels display inclined pore orientations, forming displaced girdles and ring-like short-axis distributions. These contrasting orientation patterns reflect distinct deformation fields imposed during vessel shaping. The study demonstrates that quantitative 3D analysis of pore orientation in whole vessels provides reliable criteria for identifying ceramic forming techniques and confirms previous qualitative observations. This approach offers a robust framework for technological analysis of ceramics and can be applied to both complete vessels and suitably oriented fragments. Full article

Iron Age settlements in the Salento peninsula (Southern Italy, 8th–6th century BC) underwent fundamental transformations in social organization, marked by the emergence of local elites through trade development and intense contacts with the Greek world. This study examines organic residue assemblages from 99 ceramic sherds from one key Iron Age site to clarify the role of locally produced ceramics—both coarse ware containers and Japigian matt-painted vessels—in commensal and beverage production practices. Chromatographic analyses identified a wide variety of animal and plant by-products, including fats, oils, waxes, and resin compounds. Integrated phytolith and starch analysis revealed evidence consistent with fermentation processes, particularly through the identification of fungal remains and damaged starch granules suggesting brewing activities in a subset of vessels. Matt-painted pottery forms—characterized by conical rims, funnel-shaped necks, bowls, and jugs—show distinctive use-alteration patterns and residue profiles associated with fermented beverage consumption and preparation in approximately 26% of the analyzed assemblage. Integrating organic residue analysis, experimental archaeology, and microfossil investigation suggests the central role of locally produced pottery in Iron Age commensal activities and status display, though alternative interpretations for some biomarker profiles cannot be excluded. This multiproxy approach demonstrates functional differentiation and consumption practices, refining interpretations of vessel use and providing new insights into food economies and social life during the Iron Age in southern Italy. Full article

To address challenges such as complex backgrounds, partial occlusion, and high similarity of details in Terracotta Warrior image recognition, this paper proposes a lightweight detection method, YOLOv10-TWD, based on an improved YOLOv10n. Specifically, a lightweight Convolution-Attention Fusion Module (CAFMAttention) and a dual-branch feature extraction structure (DualConv) are integrated into the detection head to enhance the model’s focus on fine-grained features and its discriminative robustness under partial damage conditions. In the Neck network, Ghost-Shuffle Convolution (GSConv) is introduced to compress the computational cost of multi-scale feature fusion while strengthening context-aware capabilities. Experimental results on a self-built Terracotta Warrior dataset demonstrate that the proposed method achieves a 7.63% improvement in mAP@0.5 compared to the baseline YOLOv10n, while simultaneously achieving a 6.66% increase in inference speed. The model achieves high precision alongside significant optimization in inference efficiency, making it well-suited for rapid recognition tasks in cultural heritage and museum scenarios. Full article

This paper presents the design and evaluation of an interactive simulator for plaster turning in porcelain slip-casting. Whereas most virtual pottery systems model clay deformation, our tool simulates the subtractive shaping of rigid plaster blanks, an essential intermediate step in mould-master production. Co-designed with expert practitioners through a user-centred process, the simulator follows workshop practice from blank preparation to the geometric constraints of the turning wheel. We report five iterative prototypes and show how expert feedback replaced generic sculpting metaphors with task-faithful interactions, including correct hand positioning, rotation-dependent turning, and authentic preparatory routines. Our evaluation suggests that the system supports the acquisition of tacit procedural knowledge while also producing geometric data compatible with physically based rendering workflows. This research contributes to the digital preservation of intangible cultural heritage by making the material reasoning of porcelain manufacture accessible in a virtual environment. Full article

A spatial awareness is a fundamental aspect of dance, reflecting deep philosophical ideas and aesthetic values across different cultures. While existing studies often focus on theatrical or biomechanical analyses, few explore how material cultural artifacts, such as pottery and porcelain figurines, reveal spatial differences in dance. This study addresses this gap by comparing Chinese pottery figurines from the Neolithic to Tang dynasties with Western Meissen porcelain dancers from the 18th century onward, applying a three-dimensional framework of “Movement Scheduling Space—kinetic space—expressive space.” Drawing on Confucian principles of “Harmony between Heaven and Humanity” and Christian notions of transcendence, the research examines how cultural traditions shape the spatial expression in dance. The findings show that Chinese dance emphasizes inward, upper-body movements extending from two-dimensional to one-dimensional space, reflecting a centripetal, earthly orientation. In contrast, Western dance expands from two-dimensional to three-dimensional space, emphasizing outward, lower-body movements symbolizing transcendental aspirations. Additionally, Chinese dance focuses on subtle hand gestures, while Western dance highlights expressive foot movements. By integrating artifact-based analysis with cultural and philosophical interpretation, this study offers a fresh approach to comparative dance philosophy, providing valuable insights for the reinterpretation of traditional aesthetics in modern choreography. Full article

The surface decoration techniques, such as incising-filling, glaze spraying, wood firing, and secondary low-temperature refiring, etc., have been widely used for traditional potteries, such as Jianshui purple pottery. These surface modifications are mainly for artistic expression, whereas functional surface modification has barely been reported. The development of novel coating materials and processes is an alternative path for the innovation of traditional pottery. However, the surface functional materials often peel or detach from the pottery body after high-temperature sintering. It is thus imperative to develop coating materials and processes with robust adhesion and accommodation for secondary functional materials. Through the screening of different ZrO(OH)₂ sols and coating processes, the coating of ZrO(OH)₂ sol on the 800 °C baked Jianshui purple pottery achieved uniform and tight surface coating. Reducing the colloidal particle size and particle concentration in the sol, as well as Y³⁺ doping, is also conductive to the structural stability of the coatings. Additional loading of silver nanoparticles onto the ZrO₂ coating layer effectively endows the pottery with antibacterial performance. The coated samples loaded with silver nanoparticles exhibited an antibacterial rate of 32.7% after accelerated desorption, demonstrating potential for functional pottery applications. Full article

Archaeological research on Santiago Island (Cape Verde) offers a strategic framework for investigating ceramic material culture shaped by Iberian and African interactions during the early modern period. This study presents first-stage results from a non-destructive archaeometric analysis of pottery fragments recovered from early colonial sites and curated at the Museu de Arqueologia in Praia. Using portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF), low-fired, handmade vessels associated with African technological traditions were analysed to determine their elemental composition and potential provenance. The work also focused on sugar moulds, containers used in the refining of this product, one of the most important in Atlantic colonisation. The resulting geochemical data is compared with established reference groups from the Iberian Peninsula, Atlantic Africa, and Macaronesia. Elemental variability indicates the use of diverse clay sources and production techniques, reflecting hybrid technological practices shaped by cultural interaction and provisioning constraints. These results contribute to ongoing research within the CERIBAM (Iberian Atlantic Expansion in North Africa and Macaronesia) and Palarq-funded projects, which aim to reconstruct early colonial ceramic networks and sociotechnical dynamics. By integrating archaeometric data with archaeological and historical perspectives, this study aims to demonstrate the utility of non-invasive analytical protocols for understanding ceramic technology, intercultural exchange, and Atlantic material connectivity in early Creole formations while preserving the integrity of the collections. Full article

The ancient city of Gela (built in the 7th century BCE) is located in the southern sector of the Sicily Island (Southern Italy) on a Pleistocene marine terrace near the mouth of the Gela River. Gela was one of the most important Greek colonies in the Mediterranean Sea, strategically positioned at the crossroads of the major maritime trade routes and with a rich production of cereals thanks to the fertile Gela River alluvial plain. To reconstruct the coastal and environmental configuration during the Greek period and to improve the understanding of the location of the harbour basin, a multidisciplinary approach was applied to a sector of the Gela River alluvial–coastal plain. This area, located very close to the ancient city, is known as Conca (Italian for “Basin”) and was identified through the analysis of historical and modern maps as well as aerial photographs. The multidisciplinary approach includes geomorphology (derived from maps and aerial photos), stratigraphy (boreholes and archeological trench), paleoecology (ostracoda, foraminifera and fossil contents of selected layers), geochronology (¹⁴C dating of selected organic materials) and archeology (historical sources and maps, pottery fragments extracted from boreholes and trench layers). The main results show that this area was occupied by lower shoreface environments in the time intervals between 4.4 and 2.8 ka, which progressively transitioned to upper shoreface environments until the Greek age. During the Roman period, these environments were significantly reduced due to repeated alluvial sedimentation of the Gela River transforming the area into fluvial–marshy environments. A time interval of aeolian sand deposition was recorded in the upper part of the coastal stratigraphical succession, which can be related to climatic conditions with high aridity. Available data show that marine environments persisted in the Conca sector during the Greek age, allowing hypothesizing the presence of an ancient harbour in this area. The depth of the Greek age marine environments is estimated to be between 4.5 and 7 m below the current ground level. Further investigation, mainly based on geophysical and stratigraphical methods, will be planned aimed at identifying the presence of buried archeological targets. Full article