Abstract:

This is the first volume of Qedem in which laboratory techniques are shown to play a central role. After an introduction to the problems involved in deriving historically significant information from the large pottery group of Eastern Terra Sigillata (ETS), a rationale is presented for employing chemical fingerprinting by the use of neutron activation analysis. Analytical results on material from 27 sites in Israel, Cyprus, Turkey, and Egypt are presented and conclusions are drawn about the provenience of ETS. The provenience is then used to classify ETS and deductions are made as to its chronology.