RECONSTRUCTING PHOENICIAN POTTERY PRODUCTION IN SARDINIA: A MULTI ANALYTICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SAMPLES FROM THE SITE OF PANI LORIGA (8-7TH CENTURY BC) AND MONTE SIRAI (6-5TH CENTURY BC)

This study contains the results of a multi-analytical archaeometric characterization of 53 pottery samples from two archaeological sites, Monte Sirai and Pani Loriga. Both sites are Phoenician-Punic colonies (7th-8th century BCE for Pani Loriga and 5th-6th century BCE for Monte Sirai) located in southwestern Sardinia, Italy. The analyses aimed to unveil the archaeological context, with provenance, raw materials and production processes. Seven amphora samples from Monte Sirai were first analysed as comparative materials for the largest group of samples from Pani Loriga, including amphoras, jugs, cups, plates, and pots, representative of the various shapes and types found at the site. Investigations were firstly focused on microstructure, matrix composition, and inclusion types, as well as to identify newly formed phases resulting from firing. Based on these analyses, five fabric groups were identified. Two of these groups, encompassing most of the samples, are characterized by coarse inclusions, suggesting minimal processing or purification of raw materials during the ceramic body preparation. In contrast, the other three groups display purified clay, with minimal inclusions. Optical petrography, combined with X-ray diffraction analysis, provided insights into the mineralogical associations, firing temperatures, and rock inclusions. In the most populated groups, the presence of minerals such as quartz, plagioclases, feldspars, and hydro-silicates, compatible with igneous rocks from pyroclastic and epiclastic deposits (including dacites and rhyolites), suggests the local production of these samples. Conversely, a high calcite content, along with microfossils observed in thin sections, indicates that some samples were likely imported. These imported specimens exhibit distinct features, suggesting different manufacturing techniques and, possibly, a higher level of production quality, if compared to the local ceramics. X-ray diffraction analyses further identified three distinct mineralogical groups based on their assemblages. The identification of minerals such as hydro-silicates, (primary) calcite, gehlenite, and diopside reflect different firing conditions and allow the estimation of firing temperature ranges. Such temperature ranges are further supported by archaeomagnetic analyses, which provided additional insights into the thermal history of the pottery confirming the firing process reconstructions based on XRD data (and the mineral stability fields). This first characterization allowed to select some samples to perform micromorphological analyses by scanning electron microscopy (with SEM-EDS), in order to describe matrix structure, slips and engobes, inclusion types, and degree of vitrification. SEM-EDS investigation was also combined with a portable X-ray fluorescence analysis to obtain the chemical composition of the ceramic samples. Even this approach provided experimental evidence to distinguish locally produced ceramics from potential imported ones.