Journal of Cultural Heritage 13 (2012) 442–447

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Case study

Petrographic and chemical characterisation of fine ware from three Archaic and
Hellenistic kilns in Gela, Sicily
Erica Aquilia a , Germana Barone a , Paolo Mazzoleni a,∗ , Caterina Ingoglia b
a
Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Catania, Corso Italia 57, 95129, Catania, Italy
b
Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichità, Università degli Studi di Messina, Messina, Italy

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: This work is focused on the petro-archeometric characterization of the fine pottery production of the
Received 3 November 2011 archaeological site of Gela (Sicily). Thirty-five samples coming from three Archaic and Hellenistic kilns
Accepted 14 February 2012 and five coming from an Hellenistic house, were investigated by means of optical microscopy, XRD and
Available online 16 March 2012
XRF analysis. With the exception of some ceramics which are undoubtedly imported, all the samples have
similar petrographic features, but on the basis of chemical composition, we can distinguish two different
Keywords: groups. The presence of two local productions is confirmed by the comparison with locally outcropping
Fine pottery
sediments and with archaic and modern bricks of sure Geloan production. This result is particularly
Gela
Petrographic-chemical analysis
significant for the definition of reference groups of this wealthy polis that played an important trading
Reference group role in the Mediterranean area.
Multivariate statistics © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

1. Research aims
This study is aimed to the characterisation of the Geloan fine
ware production in Archaic and Hellenistic period through petro-
graphic and geochemical analyses. The approach used in order to
define the local productions is based on the comparison with litera-
ture data of reference materials such as clayey sediments cropping
out near the ancient city and locally manufactured bricks. The
results obtained allow to expand the existing database of ceramic
materials for studies of Sicilian ceramics and to contribute to the
study of the provenance of findings of uncertain productions as well
as the material recovered in the shipwrecks found in the western
and central Mediterranean.
2. Experimental
2.1. Introduction
This work is part of an archaeometric research on the Sicilian
ceramic productions during the Greek and Roman periods [1–4].
In particular this paper focuses on the compositional characteri-
sation of the fine potteries found during the excavations of three
Archaic and Hellenistic kilns located in Gela. The town of Gela was
founded in 688 B.C. by Rhodian and Cretan colonists on the south-
ern coast of Sicily and destroyed in 282 B.C. It was an important
∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 09 57 19 57 44; fax: +39 09 57 19 57 60.
E-mail address: pmazzol@unict.it (P. Mazzoleni).
and wealthy polis, with prosperous agricultural and commercial
activities thank to the fertile hinterland and the optimal geograph-
ical location. From the geological point of view in the area of the
ancient polis the terrains are mainly formed by sands and clays
belonging to the Mt. St. Giorgio marly clays Formation and to
the Caltagirone Sands Formation, both belonging to Selinuntian
(Lower Pleistocene) [5]. The archaeological excavations, conducted
throughout the 20th century [6–8], discovered numerous ceramic
wares that, on the basis of the stylistic and typological examina-
tion, were ascribed to the local craftsmen and, to a lesser degree,
to importations attesting lively economic and cultural contacts. Up
to now, the previous studies on the Geloan pottery concerning the
definition of the provenance, with rare exceptions concerning the
amphorae productions [1,9–11], have been confined to the descrip-
tion of the artefacts on the basis of the stylistic and autoptic analysis
[6–8,12].
2.2. Materials
A set of 40 fine ceramics fragments, belonging to different
archaeological typologies were analyzed. These samples were
recovered from Gela during the excavations of three kilns located
in Via Bonanno [7], Via Dalmazia [6], and near the Church of S.
Giacomo [8], hereafter referred to as VB, VD and SG respectively.
The ceramist workshops of VB and VD are ascribable to the 7th
to 6th B.C while the kiln in SG is dated late 4th to early 3th B. C.
Furthermore we analysed the Hellenistic pottery (five samples)
found in one of via Meli’s dwellings (VM). These archaeological
finds are particularly important since they testify a rich ceramic

1296-2074/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.culher.2012.02.005
 E. Aquilia et al. / Journal of Cultural Heritage 13 (2012) 442–447 443

Table 1
Concentrations of major elements (wt%) and trace elements (ppm) by XRF analysis of studied potteries of which the typology and munsell index are described. The average
data of reference materials are reported (see text for details and references).

Typology Munsell colour SiO2 TiO2 Al2 O3 Fe2 O3 MnO MgO CaO Na2 O K2 O P2 O5 Sr

Via Bonanno kiln

GE6 Lid of cretan style 5YR6/4 63.57 0.66 13.20 5.46 0.06 1.89 11.62 0.82 2.31 0.40 313.72
GE7 Banded cup 5YR5/1 60.67 0.73 14.87 5.43 0.07 2.26 11.83 0.80 2.70 0.64 242.83
GE8 Cup 2.5YR6/8 62.64 0.72 13.60 5.28 0.07 2.31 11.32 0.83 3.01 0.22 321.95
GE9 Dinos of sub-geometric 5YR6/6 61.83 0.68 13.48 5.67 0.07 2.01 12.59 0.76 2.54 0.37 351.25
style
GE10 Trefoil-mouthed 2.5Y7/4 57.85 0.71 13.97 5.69 0.06 2.37 15.55 1.02 2.56 0.21 422.06
oinochoe
GE11 Closed vase of 2.5YR 6/2 59.19 0.70 13.99 5.65 0.06 2.15 14.78 0.81 2.42 0.26 409.21
subgeometric style
GE12 Black-glazed kotyle 5YR6/4 62.58 0.74 15.31 5.19 0.07 2.81 9.39 0.84 2.74 0.33 159.13
GE13 Cup with polished 5YR 6/6 core 5YR6/2 62.93 0.59 17.81 6.25 0.23 6.09 2.30 0.43 3.30 0.08 38.73
surface
GE14 Closed vase of 10YR6/4 58.53 0.70 13.99 6.45 0.08 2.11 13.52 1.04 3.12 0.45 438.85
subgeometric style
GE15 Cup of subgeometric 10YR6/3 – 5YR6/4 61.16 0.76 15.22 5.56 0.07 1.91 10.38 0.90 3.50 0.54 324.38
style
GE16 A filetti kotyle 5YR from 6/6 to 6/8 57.92 1.18 14.91 12.64 0.13 4.53 4.46 0.62 3.43 0.17 213.63
GE34 Kotyle of subgeometric 2.5YR6/6 core 7.5YR 6/6 58.71 0.71 14.03 6.13 0.07 2.13 14.10 0.88 2.82 0.42 468.22
style
GE35 Closed vase of 7.5YR7/4 core 2.5Y8/3 57.38 0.70 14.01 5.91 0.07 2.37 16.04 0.81 2.52 0.20 472.95
subgeometric style
(corinthian imitation)
GE36 Protocorinthian kotyle 2.5Y 7/4 57.82 0.65 15.57 5.80 0.09 5.23 10.79 0.75 3.11 0.19 51.15

Via Dalmazia kiln

GE17 Amphora table or 2.5YR7/4 67.76 1.16 12.20 9.58 0.10 2.15 3.95 0.93 1.94 0.24 327.12
hydria of subgeometric
style
GE18 Closed vase of 5Y6/3 67.55 1.13 12.41 9.89 0.08 2.40 3.51 0.93 1.98 0.12 224.94
subgeometric style
GE19 Closed vase of 7.5YR6/4 63.35 1.26 13.50 12.24 0.12 2.55 3.55 0.94 2.32 0.16 279.66
subgeometric style
GE20 Red-glazed kotyle 5YR6/8 67.08 1.18 12.12 10.07 0.10 1.85 4.58 0.85 2.05 0.12 403.26
GE21 Cup 10YR6/2 58.78 1.32 12.76 13.12 0.20 7.92 2.76 0.74 2.29 0.10 179.49
GE22 Trefoil mouthed From 5YR6/8 to 7/8 60.22 1.23 14.53 12.57 0.13 4.44 3.17 0.90 2.73 0.09 159.71
oinochoe
GE23 Oinochoe 2.5YR7/4 core 5YR6/4 67.07 1.30 13.80 9.14 0.11 1.54 3.53 0.82 2.51 0.19 353.99
GE24 Cup of subgeometric 5YR7/6 64.81 1.27 13.48 11.26 0.13 2.41 3.27 0.83 2.32 0.23 371.23
style
GE25 Closed vase of 5YR6/4 63.94 1.37 13.97 11.70 0.09 2.55 3.02 0.95 2.24 0.16 319.83
subgeometric style
GE26 Grey up N6/ 67.36 1.22 12.99 9.41 0.08 1.66 3.89 0.94 2.30 0.13 398.62
GE27 Buccheroid cup N5/ 66.64 1.23 12.73 10.40 0.12 1.74 3.45 1.16 2.22 0.31 388.28
GE28 Kotyle of subgeometric 5YR7/4 68.03 1.26 12.59 10.09 0.12 1.95 2.81 1.04 1.94 0.18 169.40
style
GE29 Trefoil mouthed 10YR8/6 59.05 1.25 14.17 13.57 0.15 3.45 4.52 0.74 2.90 0.21 459.14
oinochoe
GE30 Cup 7.5YR7/4 59.00 1.15 14.63 12.36 0.13 4.71 4.46 0.62 2.82 0.11 196.94
GE31 Oinochoe (?) 5Y7/2 59.52 0.76 15.15 6.20 0.08 2.67 12.22 0.76 2.40 0.25 395.21
GE32 Closed vase (WASTE) 5Y 6/1 61.84 0.75 13.36 5.89 0.07 1.95 12.86 0.90 2.15 0.23 392.43
GE33 Closed vase (WASTE) 5Y 6/1 62.01 0.74 13.05 5.88 0.07 1.88 12.96 0.91 2.17 0.33 388.49

Largo S. Giacomo kiln

G32 Black-glazed skyphos 5YR7/6 60.66 0.71 12.97 5.47 0.08 3.08 13.71 0.98 2.07 0.27 495.0
G33 Black-glazed skyphos 5YR7/6 60.07 0.77 14.42 6.19 0.09 2.14 12.51 1.01 2.53 0.27 427.4
G34 Coarse closed vase 2.5YR7/4 61.72 0.73 13.58 5.64 0.08 1.75 12.75 1.02 2.43 0.29 357.2
G35 Black-glazed skyphos 5YR7/6 61.74 0.69 12.93 4.89 0.07 3.96 12.32 1.22 1.98 0.20 241.0

Via Meli
G36 Black-glazed skyphos 2.5YR6/6 60.68 0.74 13.40 5.77 0.08 2.10 14.02 0.82 2.15 0.23 459.9
G37 Black-glazed skyphos 2.5YR6/6 61.27 0.76 13.97 5.94 0.08 1.87 12.75 0.81 2.21 0.34 499.9
G38 Coarse vase 7.5YR8/3 55.73 0.93 17.00 8.98 0.13 5.81 7.28 0.77 3.23 0.15 249.4
G39 Black-glazed skyphos 2.5YR6/6 57.46 0.96 17.72 8.71 0.12 5.37 5.30 0.75 3.34 0.27 128.3
G40 Black-glazed skyphos 2.5YR6/6 58.12 0.83 17.04 6.97 0.11 7.05 6.12 0.76 2.88 0.12 59.5

Reference material
Clay sediments (Gela) Xmed (12) 60.22 0.69 13.97 4.75 0.07 1.83 15.64 0.58 2.05 0.20 380.11
Modern bricks (Gela) Xmed (6) 60.53 0.65 12.99 5.21 0.07 2.62 14.58 1.14 2.01 0.20 411.67
Archaic mud bricks (Bosco Littorio) Xmed (7) 65.11 1.24 13.16 11.04 0.12 3.29 3.61 0.88 2.28 0.15 293.44

Typology V Cr Co Ni Zn Rb Y Zr Nb Ba La Ce

Via Bonanno kiln

GE6 Lid of cretan style 64.57 79.83 29.58 45.91 74.72 51.94 10.35 132.91 – 2628.05 32.50 68.00
GE7 Banded cup 74.54 74.32 22.59 47.04 79.46 37.74 7.98 83.86 – 295.06 32.16 49.52
GE8 Cup 72.88 73.44 24.33 40.78 79.31 49.78 12.58 157.78 1.90 263.05 31.28 57.62
444 E. Aquilia et al. / Journal of Cultural Heritage 13 (2012) 442–447

Table 1 (Continued)

Typology V Cr Co Ni Zn Rb Y Zr Nb Ba La Ce

GE9 Dinos of sub-geometric 70.04 78.85 24.95 45.22 81.92 60.81 14.50 159.36 2.51 298.81 33.72 70.73
style
GE10 Trefoil-mouthed 89.99 92.49 23.54 48.84 72.13 64.12 14.77 151.45 3.95 308.21 41.96 72.55
oinochoe
GE11 Closed vase of 80.21 85.44 23.84 47.10 74.30 70.53 16.31 184.77 4.74 354.29 30.05 78.04
subgeometric style
GE12 Black-glazed kotyle 51.86 79.13 15.13 49.63 61.20 27.51 5.59 61.25 - 277.52 28.75 48.32
GE13 Cup with polished 61.52 388.54 32.76 219.92 211.38 48.82 4.20 29.86 – 509.77 23.60 27.14
surface
GE14 Closed vase of 84.18 90.01 27.61 46.57 93.50 71.49 15.57 157.45 6.03 416.09 41.50 81.23
subgeometric style
GE15 Cup of subgeometric 73.22 77.85 19.58 44.77 129.37 48.24 11.68 134.23 2.03 412.11 25.45 77.70
style
GE16 A filetti kotyle 52.91 137.15 – 138.12 57.81 65.25 4.66 37.41 – 385.64 18.92 29.78
GE34 Kotyle of subgeometric 77.05 82.44 25.20 42.69 73.54 76.66 24.15 207.13 9.50 267.77 32.13 66.64
style
GE35 Closed vase of 77.92 91.33 26.91 44.13 67.29 75.12 22.15 184.50 7.27 308.78 32.50 92.95
subgeometric style
(corinthian imitation)
GE36 Protocorinthian kotyle 22.85 58.06 6.37 76.21 13.22 6.56 1.00 4.47 – 250.80 0.41 1.18

Via Dalmazia kiln

GE17 Amphora table or 35.72 64.40 - 40.04 64.23 52.88 11.76 171.50 2.00 221.55 25.08 50.27
hydria of subgeometric
style
GE18 Closed vase of 39.39 55.92 – 42.28 49.89 38.32 9.76 112.53 – 178.11 22.69 50.23
subgeometric style
GE19 Closed vase of 50.99 172.97 – 140.77 87.69 99.43 16.38 112.14 0.32 289.92 21.68 62.52
subgeometric style
GE20 Red-glazed kotyle 44.68 69.05 – 38.19 77.83 62.13 16.82 182.44 5.99 283.37 29.13 73.47
GE21 Cup 45.48 303.28 2.21 303.41 112.46 84.66 15.38 99.70 1.19 356.76 32.17 60.92
GE22 Trefoil mouthed 33.29 109.51 - 104.49 50.86 48.06 3.61 35.08 - 250.77 18.34 30.64
oinochoe
GE23 Oinochoe 42.72 63.98 – 34.05 67.28 38.40 9.26 119.09 0.09 300.00 30.19 56.05
GE24 Cup of subgeometric 38.03 77.87 - 46.78 87.70 65.20 15.01 173.03 3.02 240.02 25.60 62.18
style
GE25 Closed vase of 48.30 93.84 – 50.63 89.37 74.24 14.53 155.52 3.58 218.77 36.40 72.60
subgeometric style
GE26 Grey up 43.76 71.78 – 32.26 77.65 52.47 14.36 177.98 5.81 263.06 30.52 51.33
GE27 Buccheroid cup 38.80 63.68 – 42.96 70.28 50.61 12.13 147.87 0.26 253.44 25.89 71.57
GE28 Kotyle of subgeometric 30.27 53.54 – 38.98 51.82 33.60 9.51 125.71 – 210.53 26.16 44.37
style
GE29 Trefoil mouthed 60.40 182.13 – 162.99 84.54 99.25 13.60 81.32 – 273.23 32.87 50.39
oinochoe
GE30 Cup 44.84 111.35 – 117.34 50.15 51.84 4.19 33.36 – 217.62 20.19 40.00
GE31 Oinochoe (?) 86.40 97.11 30.80 50.80 77.05 71.90 15.02 181.32 5.06 321.50 39.05 78.26
GE32 Closed vase (WASTE) 80.87 92.94 23.83 46.33 66.28 63.51 14.52 217.72 3.27 441.19 37.11 81.06
GE33 Closed vase (WASTE) 79.00 93.58 23.09 48.83 67.33 55.87 12.80 172.65 0.35 330.62 37.24 74.49

Largo S. Giacomo kiln

G32 Black-glazed skyphos 45.3 68.1 18.5 31.3 46.0 43.9 19.9 188.2 8.3 354.1 24.0 63.9
G33 Black-glazed skyphos 54.7 73.5 17.7 40.0 49.1 66.7 20.8 197.5 11.3 372.5 34.5 59.6
G34 Coarse closed vase 54.1 76.7 16.8 39.1 48.8 60.4 19.6 184.0 7.3 195.2 29.0 66.2
G35 Black-glazed skyphos 38.0 51.2 13.1 34.8 31.6 19.0 4.3 97.3 – 219.1 23.4 53.7

Via Meli
G36 Black-glazed skyphos 52.6 73.8 20.3 35.8 43.4 67.6 27.0 243.1 14.2 344.8 29.9 56.6
G37 Black-glazed skyphos 51.2 72.9 19.9 33.5 42.8 69.0 26.7 232.5 14.9 430.5 30.8 69.1
G38 Coarse vase 64.7 486.1 46.7 336.9 63.1 117.3 25.8 110.4 7.8 426.8 26.8 64.4
G39 Black-glazed skyphos 54.3 373.2 31.9 249.5 50.0 63.1 4.8 64.9 – 420.5 24.1 49.4
G40 Black-glazed skyphos 22.5 186.7 12.5 132.3 19.5 14.6 1.9 17.2 – 184.5 9.3 36.9

Reference material
Clay sediments (Gela) Xmed (12) 58.25 68.14 19.19 29.13 52.23 55.43 18.03 162.99 9.88 258.10 27.01 54.63
Modern bricks (Gela) Xmed (6) 76.59 84.21 25.11 42.42 70.95 70.89 29.75 249.64 12.27 553.27 34.70 72.20
Archaic mud bricks Xmed (7) 24.22 32.06 10.84 19.69 25.01 29.66 17.38 305.70 4.04 569.96 16.66 40.58
(Bosco Littorio)

production in Gela during the investigated period. The mere find-
ing of ceramics in a kiln dump is generally considered sufficient in
order to ascribe the pottery to the local production. However, the
ceramics from VD kiln are kept in the Gela’s Museum without any
reference to the archaeological layer in which they were found.
The typology and the Munsell colours of the ceramics grouped
according to the founding site are reported in Table 1 . In order
to determine the site of their production, the data obtained on
the studied ceramics were compared with literature reference data
from Gela [11] of which the average chemical data are reported in
Table 1:
• mud-bricks of the Archaic Bosco Littorio wall;
• modern bricks actually produced in Gela;
• fourteen clay samples cropping out in the Gela territory.
 E. Aquilia et al. / Journal of Cultural Heritage 13 (2012) 442–447
Fig. 1. Representative photomicrographs of the studied sherds (crossed nicols): a) sample GE14; b) sample GE8; c) sample GE13; d) sample GE21.
2.3. Methodologies
Petrographic characterization was carried out on representa-
tive samples following a modified version of the classification
scheme proposed by Whitbread [13]. The chemical analyses were
performed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, XRF (Philips PW
2404/00 spectrometer) on all samples. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was
performed on some samples, using a SIEMENS D5000. The details
on the analytical methods are reported in previous paper [11].
2.4. Experimental data
2.4.1. Petrographic and mineralogical analysis
All the studied ceramics have fine paste and similar petrographic
characteristics with low amount of inclusions and belong to a
unique fabric named “dominant quartz and rare feldspars” that,
on the basis of the groundmass features may be moreover subdi-
vided (Fig. 1). The petrographic description of the fabric is reported
below:
Fabric with dominant quartz and rare feldspars:
• fossiliferous groundmass: GE14 (VB);
• fossiliferous and micaceous groundmass: GE8, 10, 11 (VB), GE25,
27 (VD), G34 (SG) and G36 (VM);
• micaceous and rarely fossiliferous groundmass: GE9-13 (VB);
GE16, 19, 21, 22 and 29 (VD);
• micaceous groundmass: G38, 39 and G40 (VM).
Microstructure:
• common vughy and vesicles (from 5% to 30%); dimensions range
from micro (< 0.05 mm) to meso voids (0.05–0.5 mm);
• spatial distribution: from single space to open; c) preferential
orientation: sometime due to linear vughy.
445
Groundmass:
• heterogeneous or homogeneous;
• micromass optical activity: active GE8, GE13, GE19 (VB), GE21
(VD), G38, G40 (VM); scarcely active: GE9, GE10, GE16,GE34 (VB),
GE22, GE27, GE29 (VD), G39 (VM); inactive: GE11, GE14, GE36
(VB); B-fabric: banded or mottled;
• colour (pp) yellow- greenish beige, reddish brown or greyish;
• c:f from 5:95% to 20:80%.
Inclusions:
• grain size distribution: prevalently unimodal;
• inclusions–common: polycrystalline and monocrystalline
quartz; scarce: k-feldspar, plagioclase; rare: fragments of
volcanic rocks and volcanic glass (GE25); rare: chert (GE10).
ACF:
• all thin sections show two ACF types: some of these have irregular
shape, medium size and reddish- blackish colour while the other
show smaller size and are characterized to strongly red colour.
Finally, with the aim to give information about the techno-
logical process and, in particular, on the firing temperatures, the
mineralogical analysis (XRD) were carried out on ten samples con-
sidered representative of the three studied kilns. The presence of
new formed Ca-silicates-(diopside, gehlenite and anorthite) and
the absence of calcite and clay minerals in all analyzed pottery
indicate high firing temperatures (> 900–950 ◦ C) [14].
2.4.2. Chemical analysis
Table 1 shows the chemical composition of the studied ceram-
ics and the average compositions of reference materials [11]. First
of all, the samples GE13, GE21 and G38 and G39 are considered
446 E. Aquilia et al. / Journal of Cultural Heritage 13 (2012) 442–447
Fig. 2. A; Ternary diagram SiO2 - CaO + MgO- Al2 O3 ;. B. Diagram CaO vs TiO2 + Fe2 O3
(wt %). Gray area = Archaic mud bricks (Bosco Littorio).
of Greek productions and excluded in the following discussion, on
the basis of the high MgO, Ni and Cr abundances (Table 1) since
these elements strongly discriminate between the Sicilian and the
Greek productions [15]. Some differences in the amount of major
elements may be detected among the samples coming from the
three studied kilns. The ternary diagram SiO2 –CaO + MgO–Al2 O3
put in evidence the difference between the main group of VD sam-
ples that have lower CaO content than most of VB and SG ceramic
(Fig. 2a). The diverse compositions of major elements is confirmed
considering the diagram TiO2 and Fe2 O3 , (Fig. 2b). The VM pot-
teries are distributed almost equality in the VD and VB + SG fields.
Less clear are the trace elements differences among the samples
coming from the three kilns even if on average Y abundance is
higher in the VD and SG potteries while V content is higher in
VB ceramics. On the whole, chemical data suggest either different
sites of production or the use of diverse raw materials in the same
site. In this latter case the high chemical compositional variability
of the studied potteries may reflect the heterogeneity of the raw
materials [11]. With the aim to better clarify this point the chem-
ical composition of the studied ceramics was compared with that
of reference materials through multivariate statistical methods. In
particular being the chemical analysis subject to the restrictions
of compositional data we applied the centred log-ratio (clr) trans-
formation proposed by Atchison [16] x ∈ SD → y = ln (xD /gD (x))
∈ RD where x is a compositional vector with D parts, gD is the
geometrical mean, SD is a d-dimensional simplex (d = D–1), y is log-
transformed composition and RD is real space with d dimension.
The software used for the statistical analysis is CoDaPack [17]. The
biplot in Fig. 3, in which the first two principal components are rep-
resented, is obtained using only the crl transformed major and trace
elements considered immobile during the post-buried processes.
The multivariate statistical approach strongly suggests that the
two individuated chemical groups are produced locally since the
VB and SG potteries are chemically very similar to the Pleistocene
Fig. 3. Biplot of the two first principal components employing major and trace ele-
ments, constructed using the log-ratio (clr) transformed data. Gray area = Archaic
mud bricks Bosco Littorio, light gray area = modern bricks, dark gray = clay sedi-
ments.
clays and the local modern bricks while most of VD products are
plotted near the field of the Archaic mud bricks of Bosco Littorio
wall [11].
3. Conclusions
The archaeometric study of the ceramics found in the three
kiln in Via Bonanno, Via Dalmazia and S. Giacomo give a mean-
ingful opportunity for the characterization of Gela’s fine pottery
productions and to contribute to the formation of a proper ceramic
reference group for the Geloan fine ware. These data may be use-
ful not only in the study of Sicilian ceramics but it could also be
of significant importance for the comprehension of the circulation
of these pottery throughout the Mediterranean. The petrographic
and chemical data made it possible to separate for each kiln the
imported artifacts from the main group of local products. These lat-
ter were certified by means of the comparison with modern bricks
produced in Gela and with Archaic mud bricks of Bosco Littorio wall.
Worth of note is that in the Archaic period two kilns (VB and VD)
were active producing pottery with quite different compositions
while the only studied Hellenistic kiln of SG seems to continue the
production of VB. The raw materials used in VB and SG kilns are
the Pleistocene clays largely cropping out in the ancient city area
and used up to now for the production of bricks. On the contrary
it has not been possible to identify the raw materials used in Via
Dalmazia production even if the local origin is demonstrated by a
fair compositional correspondence with the Archaic mud bricks of
Bosco Littorio. We suggest that in this case the used clayey sedi-
ments do not crop out either because they have been used up or
because they are buried under the modern buildings.
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