Petrography of the archaeological pottery of the Salado River (province of Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Abstract

The pottery from sites located within the Salado River Basin (Province of Buenos Aires) is studied by means of a multivariate statistical analysis of 50 thin sections; the sites date from the Late Holocene. The analysis allowed to determine similarities and differences between the ceramic assemblages. The macroscopic aspects of the sherds were also considered, as well as their provenance environments, either permanent or temporary lakes, or close to the river. The mineralogical differences seem to indicate choices in the potters’ practices in their use of different clays and in the use of temper for the manufacture of a broad variety of vessels of different shapes and sizes.