Physico-chemical and Technological Analysis of Ancient Ceramic Production in Northwest Colchis: A Synergetic Approach

Information on the location of ancient production sites plays a crucial role in reconstructing the historical and cultural landscape and in analyzing past settlement patterns. Pottery is one of the main types of production, but our knowledge of the past is limited by the availability of sources. Regarding the development of production in northwestern Colchis, we have no written sources and can rely only on archaeological data. However, despite nearly a century and a half of archaeological research, which has provided compelling evidence of extensive pottery production in this area, we have very little understanding of the production centers themselves, which, like any other production, are tied to corresponding mineral sources. This study aims to determine the resource base, identify existing trends, and create predictive models for the location of production centers through the study of natural clays and finished ceramic products, using a combination of modern physicochemical and technological methods. This paper analyzes the results of studies of 23 clay samples and 63 plinth samples. The set of research methods was determined by both the available material and the objectives of the study. Technological traditions of ceramic production were studied using A.A. Bobrinsky’s method. The production sites were determined based on the elemental and mineral composition of clays and ceramic products obtained while using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Mössbauer spectroscopy. A combination of these methods provides the most comprehensive information on the composition of natural materials. Spatial analysis was performed using a GIS. The study revealed differences in the technological traditions of plinth production in the western and eastern parts of the Colchis region. It has been established that the iron content in clays and plinths is the marker of the place of production and is associated with the rivers originating in the slopes of the Greater Caucasus Range. The availability of comprehensive studies of the elemental and phase composition of materials allows for the collection of objective information on the production relationship between annealedproducts and natural raw materials.