Roman tablewares from Klaros: Possibilities and limitations of p-XRF measurements for chemical classification

Abstract

Archaeological and archaeometric classifications in ceramic studies are the keystone of proper cultural, social and commercial modelling. This is why the correctness of the classification influences the final conclusions directly. Roman tablewares have characteristic features due to their standardized mass production and these features facilitate their classification. However, even though there are distinctive macroscopic features, it has become inevitable to resort to archaeometric methods. This publication presents results of a comparative analysis of Roman tablewares from Klaros, which have not been studied so far, employing both archaeological and archaeometric classifications.