The technology of polychrome glazed ceramics in Ifriqiya: new data from the site of Chimtou

Ifriqiya (roughly Tunisia and eastern Algeria) is believed to have played a significant role in the diffusion of ceramic glazed technologies into other regions of the Western Mediterranean. However, due to limited analysis on North African glazed ceramics, its role in technology transfer remains poo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Archaeological and anthropological sciences Vol. 16; no. 4; p. 61
Main Authors:	Occari, V., Möller, H., Fenwick, C., Quinn, P., Freestone, I. C., Chaouali, M., von Rummel, P.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-04-2024 Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:	12th century Anthropology Archaeology Ceramics Chemistry/Food Science Copper Crystals Earth and Environmental Science Earth Sciences Geography Iron Lead Life Sciences Manganese Manganese oxides Metallurgy Metals Slag Technology transfer Tin Tunisia Tin opacification Recycling Medieval Tunisia Polychrome glazed ceramics Glaze technology Cross-craft interaction
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Summary:	Ifriqiya (roughly Tunisia and eastern Algeria) is believed to have played a significant role in the diffusion of ceramic glazed technologies into other regions of the Western Mediterranean. However, due to limited analysis on North African glazed ceramics, its role in technology transfer remains poorly understood. This paper uses SEM–EDS and petrographic analyses to understand the technology employed in the production of Tunisian ceramics through the study of 30 polychrome glazed ceramics from a medieval settlement at the site of Chimtou (ancient Simitthus), Tunisia, dated to the late ninth-twelfth century. The results show that these are lead-rich glazes with varying contents of alkalis, coloured with copper, iron and manganese oxide and applied over a calcareous body. Opaque glazes were obtained using cassiterite crystals as opacifier or by adding crushed quartz. The use of lead stannate as a colourant and opacifier in one light yellow glaze raises questions about the mechanisms of introduction of tin opacification technology in North Africa. Scrap metal seems to have been used as a source of lead for the glazes; while iron slag was probably used as a source of iron to colour the glaze in one sample, pointing to a cross-craft interaction between glazemaking and metallurgy.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	1866-9557 1866-9565
DOI:	10.1007/s12520-024-01974-x