A Complete Chemical Grouping of the Berkeley Neutron Activation Analysis Data on Mycenaean Pottery

• Published in: Journal of archaeological science Vol. 29; no. 6; pp. 613 - 637
• Main Authors: Mommsen, H., Beier, Th, Hein, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2002; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Bronze Age; Europe; Metal Ages; NAA, CERAMICS, PROVENANCING, CLUSTER ANALYSIS, MYCENAE, BRONZE AGE; Prehistory and protohistory; South East Europe; Mycenean; Minoan; Bronze Age; Greece; Crete; Europe; NAA, CERAMICS, PROVENANCING, CLUSTER ANALYSIS, MYCENAE, BRONZE AGE; Cluster analysis; Chemical analysis; Ceramics; Method; Neutron activation; Source
• ISSN: 0305-4403; 1095-9238
• DOI: 10.1006/jasc.2001.0759

The Perlman–Asaro data bank contains nearly 900 data sets of Mycenaean and Minoan sherds which were sampled in different regions of Greece and Crete. The data were obtained from Neutron Activation Analysis measurements at Berkeley in the 1970s, and for each concentration value a corresponding uncertainty of measurement was also recorded. Parts of the contents of the data bank have been published before. Here, we present the first complete statistical analysis of the whole data bank, considering measurement errors as well as constant shifts of the data due to pottery making practices (“dilutions”). We establish new reference patterns for different regions of Greece and Crete and compare the results with the contents of our own group data bank in Bonn. For those parts of the data which have been published previously, a comparison between these studies and our recent investigation is presented.