Compositional analysis of Hispanic Terra Sigillata by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been applied for the analysis of Roman pottery Hispanic Terra Sigillata dating back to the 1st-5th century A.C. from two important ceramic production centers in Spain. For each sample, several examinations were performed on slip and body providing data necessary to draw depth profiles of the contents of various elements. In all the cases investigated, the amount of some elements such as calcium and iron and the presence of other ones such as silicon and aluminum showed the differences existing between slip and body in these ancient ceramics in relation with their region and period of production. In addition, complementary analyses were carried out with scanning electron microscopy linked with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM/EDX) to measure the thickness of slip and to obtain verification of chemical results.