Infrared spectroscopy in the mineralogical characterization of ancient pottery

Abstract The aim of this paper is to explore the full potentialities of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy in assessing the chemical and mineralogical composition of ancient pottery, with the final goal of building up a reference databank based on IR spectral transitions. A representative pool of 75 shards excavated in the archaeological district of Canosa (Puglia) was analysed. A detailed attribution of all the spectroscopic frequencies in the spectra recorded in the 4000–400 cm –1 region was attempted and their assignment to different minerals was accomplished, with the support of both literature references and standard materials. In order to demonstrate the reliability of IR attributions, X-ray diffraction analysis was performed on representative samples of the pool. Some information on the firing temperatures, one of the most intriguing aspects in the investigations on ancient pottery, could also be inferred by the FT-IR/XRPD data. The basis is laid for a possible use of IR transitions in assessing the provenance of pottery production.