AN ARCHAEOMETRIC APPLICATION TO A GRUOP OF EARLY OTTOMAN CERAMICS FROM İZNİK
KIRMIZI, Burcu
M.S., Archaeomtery
Supervisor : Prof. Dr. E. Hale GÖKTÜRK
September 2004, 100 pages

This study investigates the physical, mineralogical and chemical characteristics of a group of pottery sherds that are mostly Miletus-ware ceramics, belonging to the Early Ottoman period and excavated during 2003 season, from the Roman theatre in Iznik.
 

The sherds examined are mostly characterized by cobalt-blue designs which are occasionally coupled with black, green and purple paintings. After grouping the sherds according to their stylistic and color differences; petrographic, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope coupled with energy dispersive X-ray and Fourier Transform Infrared analyses were carried out for investigating the mineralogical and chemical properties. Most of the ceramic samples have slip and glaze on both sides. The glaze part is mostly fresh without any devitrification products. Bodies of the ceramics have tones of reddish yellow and/or red, indicating abundant amount of iron in their raw material. Grains consist mainly of metamorphic rock fragments (quartz-mica schist), quartz, feldspar, hornblende, hematite and biotite. Pyroxene, epidote, chert, muscovite, opaque minerals, chlorite are also encountered. Micritic calcite occurs in some of the pores. Ceramic bodies investigated are usually fine-grained and well-sorted. Clay raw material used for the production of the ceramics seems to be originated from a metamorphic source. Bodies usually show a low degree of vitrification with few exceptions, indicating a rather simple technology with non-uniform and low degree of firing, probably not exceeding 900°C. Technological characteristics of the sherds examined do not seem to have changed much between 14th and 16th century.

Keywords: Iznik, Early Ottoman, Roman Theatre, Miletus-ware, petrography