Cooking and common wares in the Late Antique rural site of Plaça Major de Castellar del Vallès (Catalonia, Spain): archaeometric characterization

Abstract

This paper presents an archaeometric analysis of utilitarian ceramics from a Late Antique rural site in the area of Vallès (Catalonia, Spain), with the aim of investigating their provenance and shedding light on some aspects of their production technology. A total of 55 samples of cooking and common wares were analyzed using a combination of instrumental analytical techniques, including thin-section optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and WD-X-ray fluorescence, in order to carry out a petrographic, mineralogical, and chemical characterization of the materials. A variety of petrographic fabrics were identified, generally composed of inclusions derived from granitic rocks, along with metamorphic inclusions in many cases. This variability is not related either to ceramic typologies or to chronological phases but to slight variations in the raw materials and/or paste recipes. Compositional similarities point to a broadly common origin for a large part of the ceramic assemblage. All fabrics identified may be compatible with the hypothesis of a local provenance, although a wider regional provenance cannot be excluded on geological grounds. This study is a step forward into the understanding of cooking and common ware production in northeastern Iberia during Late Antiquity.