Ceramics from bronze age settlement Irganay I: analysis of feedstock and compositions of forming masses

Based on the methodology of technical and technological analysis of ancient ceramics developed by A. A. Bobrinskiy, we examined ceramics from the Irganay I settlement dating to the Middle Bronze Age. In order to study the basic plastic raw material and the composition of clay body, 53 samples referring to various types of vessels which were examined based on fresh breaks with the help of an MBS-10 microscope when magnified up to 56 times were selected to obtain information on how the plastic raw material was used and what artificial admixtures were added to prepare clay based on specific formulations. As a result, eight recipes of clay preparation for pottery-making were identified and singled out: 1) clay + grog; 2) clay + organic substances; 3) clay + grog + organic substances; 4) clay + grog + organic solution; 5) clay + bone + grog + organic solution; 6) clay + grog + manure; 7) clay + manure; 8) clay + grit + organic substances. This set of clay recipes reflects a broader range of pottery traditions that existed at the settlement and were, apparently, both local and non-local.