To be or not to be local: a provenance study of archaeological ceramics from Shahr-i Sokhta, eastern Iran

A provenance analysis of ceramics from Shahr-i Sokhta, eastern Iran, reveals that the majority were locally produced using clay sources and kiln wasters from the region. This conclusion is supported by chemical composition data from WDXRF spectroscopy and petrofabric observations, which identified poorly sorted basaltic clasts in the matrix of local clays. However, a distinct group of red and gray wares exhibited different chemistry and fine-grained clay bodies with sorted quartz, indicating a non-local origin. This study provides new insights into the production and trade patterns of ceramics during the period from 3200 to 1800 B.C.E.

Eftekhari, N., Holakooei, P., Marrocchino, E., & Vaccaro, C. (2021). To be or not to be local: a provenance study of archaeological ceramics from Shahr-i Sokhta, eastern Iran. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-021-01307-2