A preliminary assessment of the provenance of ancient pottery through instrumental neutron activation analysis at the Monte Castelo site, Rondônia, Brazil

Abstract

This research aims to contribute to the discussion of ceramic objects found at the Monte Castelo shellmound, an archaeological site located at south-west Amazonia, Brazil. This paper provides the results of a preliminary characterization of eighty-four pottery samples using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and dating by thermoluminescence (TL). The results showed the existence of three different chemical groups whose dates range from 3000 to 1500 BP. confirming changes in clay sources during that period. These results agree with previous studies about the technological changes and continuities in the Bacabal phase, one of the oldest ceramic cultures of South America.