Moroccan clay deposits: Physico-chemical properties in view of provenance studies on ancient ceramics

El Ouahabi, Meriam; El Boudour El Idrissi, Hicham; Daoudi, Lahcen; El Halim, Mouhssin; Fagel, Nathalie

doi:10.1016/j.clay.2019.02.019

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Moroccan clay deposits: Physico-chemical properties in view of provenance studies on ancient ceramics

El Ouahabi, Meriam; El Boudour El Idrissi, Hicham; Daoudi, Lahcen et al.

2019 • In Applied Clay Science, 172 (65-74)

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https://hdl.handle.net/2268/234095

DOI
10.1016/j.clay.2019.02.019

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Keywords :

Reference samples; Medieval; Firing properties; Pottery; Raw clayey materials; Morocco; Mediterannen; Miocene marls

Abstract :

[en] Features of clayey raw materials from most important traditional pottery centers in the vicinity of the main medieval sites in Morocco, and their fired products were investigated. Besides clay from the North of Morocco, the used raw material was illitic clays (10–100%) and smectite-rich clays (0–67%) with variable amount of kaolinite, quartz and feldspars. Chlorite was also present in a small amount. The main major oxides were Si2O, Al2O3 and CaO. The fired tests (800–1100 °C) displayed a decrease in open porosity of the sintered clay by raising the temperature, mainly from 1000 °C due to the inception of melting. This change was coupled with the change in mineralogical composition. New crystalline phases as Ca silicates (diopside and gehlenite), hematite, spinel and mullite occurred during firing process, attesting to the inception of melting and were responsible for porosity reduction. Reference clays for pottery were established based on the clay mineralogy and chemical composition. The present study would help to answer some archeological questions concerning possible sourcing areas for archeological ceramics, to determine techniques for the production of artefacts, and then to interpret cultural influences. Furthermore, the obtained results will support the inception of development of a compositional database for Moroccan pottery.

Research center :

Geology, AGEs

Disciplines :

Earth sciences & physical geography

Author, co-author :

El Ouahabi, Meriam ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Argiles, géochimie et environnements sédimentaires

El Boudour El Idrissi, Hicham ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Argiles, géochimie et environnements sédimentaires

Daoudi, Lahcen

El Halim, Mouhssin ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Form. doct. sc. (géol. - paysage)

Fagel, Nathalie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Argiles, géochimie et environnements sédimentaires

Language :

English

Title :

Moroccan clay deposits: Physico-chemical properties in view of provenance studies on ancient ceramics

Publication date :

February 2019

Journal title :

Applied Clay Science

ISSN :

0169-1317

eISSN :

1872-9053

Publisher :

Elsevier, Netherlands

Volume :

172

Issue :

65-74

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 30 March 2019

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