Journal of Cultural Heritage 14 (2013) 485–498 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Original article Study of Neolithic pottery from Polyplatanos (Imathia) using micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, stereoscopic microscopy and multivariate statistical analysis Anastasios J. Sakalis a , Nikolaos A. Kazakis a,∗ , Nikolaos Merousis b , Nestor C. Tsirliganis a a Department of Archaeometry and Physicochemical Measurements, R.C. ‘Athena’, PO Box 159, Kimmeria University Campus, 67100 Xanthi, Greece b Open University of Cyprus, Kyzikou 25-27, 55133 Kalamaria, Thessaloniki, Greece a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 28 January 2012 Accepted 6 November 2012 Available online 12 December 2012 Keywords: Neolithic decorated pottery Black-on-Red Crusted ware Cream-on-Red Classical Dimini XRF PCA Stereoscopic microscopy a b s t r a c t Various types of Late Neolithic decorated pottery excavated in Polyplatanos (Imathia, Greece) such as Crusted (C), Classical Dimini (CD), Black-on-Red (BoR), Cream-on-Red (CoR) and Graphite (G) were archaeometrically studied in order to investigate their provenance and to clarify specific technological features. The clay bodies, the paints and the slips were stereoscopically analyzed, while their ele- mental composition was determined, using non-destructive multi-elemental micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Furthermore, the analytical data were statistically treated using multivariate exploratory techniques (Principal Component Analysis, PCA). As a result, novel technological information was derived especially concerning the Crusted type ceramics, which have not been widely examined by archaeometric means up to now, while useful provenance associations were also derived from the statistical combination of the studied groups. © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction – Research aims The Neolithic period is of great importance regarding pottery production, since the Neolithic civilizations brought in contact clay with fire to produce materials which are particularly hard and resis- tant to meet the requirements of the newly emerged needs for tools and resources at that time [1,2]. In addition, it is generally accepted that studies at several Neolithic sites lead to contradictory findings regarding the pottery distribution, thus, putting into question the role of pottery as an exchange item in this period [3]. Therefore, integrated and meticulous archaeometric studies of Neolithic find- ings appear essential. The archaeometric analysis of the ceramic materials and the reconstruction of pottery technology will com- plement the archaeologists’ observations of the local or imported character of the pottery and help to evaluate both practical and social aspects of ceramic production. From an archaeological point of view, Polyplatanos is a Neolithic site of vital importance, since it is the first Late Neolithic settle- ment in the Imathia plain, Northern Greece, to be systematically excavated. Excavations in Polyplatanos have brought into light a considerably large number of Neolithic decorated ceramics of ∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +302541078787; fax: +302541063656. E-mail addresses: nikkazak@ceti.gr, nikkazak@gmail.com (N.A. Kazakis). various styles, the most prevalent of which is the Crusted (C) ware, followed by the Cream-on-Red (CoR), Graphite (G) ware, Classical Dimini (CD) and Black-on-Red (BoR) [4,5]. According to the literature, only a handful of archaeometric studies have been conducted concerning the chemical composi- tion and/or provenance of the above-mentioned types of decorated pottery and especially for Black-on-Red [6–10] and Classical Dimini [11]. Moreover, to the authors’ best knowledge, works regarding the Crusted ware pottery, a characteristic style of this period, with a thick, white or pink-red crust applied on the ceramic surface, possibly after firing, are extremely limited [4,12]. Archaeologists claim that the decorated pottery from the area of Polyplatanos can provide an adequate sample for qualitative and descriptive analysis of clays and decoration, serving as a starting point for understanding the functions and use of Late Neolithic decorated pottery [4]. However, a concerted approach, from an archaeometric point of view, which will shed light on the ceramic technology and the socio-economic interactions between this set- tlement and its general area during this period, has yet to be done. A first step for the characterization of the pottery finds from Polyplatanos was made in a previous work conducted in this lab [13], where preliminary measurements by means of a compact portable -XRF spectrometer were taken in order to provide some initial information regarding the manufacturing techniques used for their production. 1296-2074/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2012.11.005