Lead-Glazed Ceramic Fragments: Intentional Glazing or Metallurgical Accident?

Abstract

AbstractCeramic fragments from an excavation by Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe in 2014 around the deserted early medieval site of Brilon-Alme were subjected to archaeometric analysis. Except for one miniature object, they are coarse-grained tempered, and many of them are coated with a green-brownish glaze. The question arose whether archaeometric investigation could help identify the material, the production technique, and the nature of the glaze. Furthermore, it was of interest whether the fragments were connected to metallurgical activity in the region. Thin sections of the fragments with adhering glaze were investigated by polarized light microscopy and energy-dispersive scanning electron microscopy, both for elemental information; powder and x-ray microdiffraction for phase analysis and multi-collector inductively coupled mass spectrometry for lead isotope analysis were applied. The results from elemental, phase, and texture analysis of the glazes finally provided evidence that they are closely related to metallurgical processes of early medieval activities around Brilon.