In the past, studies on the average chemical composition of a sherd vs its origin have successfully been carried out, but attempts failed to reach the same goal with spot analysis (electron microprobe) on the high gloss surface of terra sigillata. When chemical data on the average composition of the surface is used for provenance determinations, significant results are obtainable on the basis of non‐destructive energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence analysis (EDS‐XFA). Terra sigillata from Arezzo, Lezoux, La Graufesenque and Lyon (± 20 B.C. to ± 150 A.D.) were analysed in order to determine the statistically distinctive chemical elements. It is clearly possible under favourable conditions to allocate archaeologically unknown sherds to specific pottery centres.
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BALLIÉ et al. (1984) studied this question.