Journal article
Slips, films, and material choice: Long-distance hydrothermal pigments on Middle Mississippian red ware
Journal of archaeological science, reports, Vol.54, 104456
04/2024
DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104456
Abstract
•During the CE 1000–1200 period, potters at Cahokia and nearby sites in the American Bottom region of the Middle Mississippi Valley used pigments originating from hydrothermal deposits to produce red ware.•Hydrothermal deposits only occur over 50 km away, with the closest sources in Missouri’s Ozark Highlands and more distant sources in the Illinois-Kentucky Fluorspar District.•Slips or films can be described as pigment + liquid + binder mixtures, integrating ceramic raw materials research with pigment research.•At least some hydrothermal pigments needed organic binders to create filmed vessel surfaces.
Using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) and Raman spectroscopy, we investigate red pigment applied to ceramic vessels as a slip or film (pigment + liquid + binder mixture) in the midcontinental United States. We find that during the CE 1000–1200 period, potters at Cahokia and nearby sites in the American Bottom region of the Middle Mississippi Valley used pigments originating from hydrothermal deposits. The closest hydrothermal deposits are located over 50 km away in the Ozark Highlands and the pigments may have been collected from areas already exploited for other resources. Approaching slips or films as pigment + liquid + binder mixtures integrates ceramic raw materials research with pigment research and encourages us to consider a variety of pigment options, some of which require binders for use on ceramics.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Slips, films, and material choice: Long-distance hydrothermal pigments on Middle Mississippian red ware
- Creators
- Margaret E. Beck - University of IowaGlen A. FreimuthBrandi L. MacDonald - University of Missouri
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of archaeological science, reports, Vol.54, 104456
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104456
- ISSN
- 2352-409X
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000001, name: National Science Foundation
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/2024
- Academic Unit
- Anthropology
- Record Identifier
- 9984563454802771
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