Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Measurement journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/measurement Analytical study of Roman red slip ware from ancient Tripolis (Denizli, Turkey) Barış Semiz a, ⁎ , Bahadır Duman b , Mehmet Ok b a Department of Geological Engineering, Pamukkale University, Turkey b Department of Archeology, Pamukkale University, Turkey ARTICLE INFO Keywords: Archeometry Analytical techniques XRD Red slip ware Tripolis Lydia Denizli ABSTRACT Roman red slip ware uncovered at Tripolis, an ancient city of Lydia region in modern Denizli province, Turkey, was analyzed for geochemical and mineralogical properties in order to clarify their manufacturing technology. Samples were examined by optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and X-ray fluorescence. Results thus obtained indicate that the analyzed red slip wares can be divided into three groups based on the inclusion types, and grain sizes. Mineralogical compositions also reflect differences in production technology. The firing tem- peratures are estimated from the phase assemblages as < 800 °C for the Group 1 and 2 samples and about 900 °C for Group 3 samples. Group 1 was probably produced from local clays (Lykos Valley) in Denizli region. Group 2 shows clear similarity with local clay but it is from different origin (probably from Meander Valley (Menderes Massif clays). Whereas Group 3 does not seem to be a local production of Tripolis, rather wares imported from possibly Sagalassos in ancient Pisidia of Turkey. 1. Introduction In recent years, interdisciplinary works on the findings (ceramic, metal, bone, marble fragments, etc.) from archaeological sites have shown that the chemical, geological and physical analysis techniques yield beneficial results [1–8]. The chemical, mineralogical and struc- tural characteristics of ancient artifacts can help to identify the source area of the raw material used in ceramic production and to identify the technological processes associated with pottery production. In addition, knowing the mineralogical composition can shed light on the firing temperature and time of the raw material. Why it is important to 'identify technological processes' and 'firing temperature'? Because, technological processes can be used to design any series of operations aimed transforming a raw material into a finished product. These in- clude the geological properties of the local environment, the nature of the raw material, meteorological changes, the nature of the fuel and fluctuations in firing temperatures [9]. Firing temperature is also the most important step in the production of pottery. These can be used with caution to infer the details of ancient firing such as the regime, apparatus and fuel types used [10]. Pottery production technologies give us important information how changing social structures impacted the material culture in general and the production of pottery in parti- cular. There are many archaeological sites (Laodikeia, Hierapolis, and Tripolis etc.) currently under excavation in Denizli province of south- western Turkey (Fig. 1a). The ancient city of Tripolis is located in Ye- nicekent town of Buldan district in Denizli Province. In the Hellenistic period, the city of Tripolis was at the crossroads of Phrygia, Caria and Lydia regions [11]. Archaeological excavations at Tripolis has in- tensified since 2012. In the present study, Roman red slip ware samples from the late Roman period uncovered at Tripolis were investigated by archaeometric methods. Imported red slipped ceramics were found at Ancient City of Tripolis where is located on the banks of Maiandros during the excavation works between 2012 and 2017. Among these findings, red slipped ceramics were defined which date Early Roman Imperial Period and Late Roman Period red slipped ware. Located in the Pisidia Region, Sagalassos was home to red slip pottery production that started in the 1st century BCE and 1st century CE, and continued in different forms until the 7th century CE [12,13]. Another group identified in excava- tions in Tripolis during the years is the Lycos valley red ceramics [14]. About 4–7th century CE findings on regional production group were identified in Laodikeia and also in two metropols which are Tripolis and Hierapolis of the valley, the most distinctive feature of this group is that it has a reddish yellow liner. Except for the first two groups, a small group of late red ceramics with little darker red slip in the ancient cities of the Menderes Valley are generally found in 6-7th century CE layers for this reason they are named as “Sigillata from the Meander valley” https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2018.07.069 Received 29 March 2018; Received in revised form 23 July 2018; Accepted 24 July 2018 ⁎ Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: bsemiz@pau.edu.tr (B. Semiz), bduman@pau.edu.tr (B. Duman). Measurement 129 (2018) 530–541 Available online 27 July 2018 0263-2241/ © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. T