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The approaches of comparative studies and profile measurements, often used in order to detect post-depositional alterations of ceramics, have been applied simultaneously to two sets of Roman pottery, both of which include altered individuals. As analytical techniques, Neutron Activation Analysis and X-Ray Diffraction have been used. Both approaches lead to substantially different results. This shows that they detect different levels of alteration and should complement each other rather than being used exclusively. For the special process of a glassy phase decomposition followed by a crystallization of the Na-zeolite analcime, the results suggest that it changes high-fired calcareous pottery rapidly, and so fundamentally that the results of various archaeometric techniques can be severely disturbed.

The chemical classification of Mycenaean pottery from the Northern Peloponnese by neutron activation analysis (NAA) resulted in two groups with very similar chemical compositions assigned to production centres in the Argolid and in Achaia, respectively. The statistical separation of these two groups on the basis only of their chemical composition was difficult, and not clear-cut for all of the examined samples. A complementary mineralogical examination by X-ray diffraction (XRD) of some selected samples indicated differences in the mineralogical composition, which confirmed the determined chemical differences. Furthermore, a clay sample was examined, which showed a composition similar to that of the pottery.

One of the most important reference groups for Mycenaean pottery is the Mycenae/Berbati (MB). In several studies, a second group has been identified (MBKR). The chemical compositions were similar to MB, but with important differences in the Na, K and Rb contents. The present study suggests that these differences are due to selective alteration and contamination processes that are indirectly determined by the original firing temperature. Therefore, groups MB and MBKR should be considered as a single reference group.

Recent mineralogical studies on archaeological pottery samples report significant variations in alkali metal concentrations due to environmental alterations during burial. Here we examine the effects of potassium (K) leaching on luminescence dating. The effect on the estimation of the dose rate is studied by considering four models of leaching (exponential, linear, early and late) and their impact on fine- and coarse-grain dating are calculated. The modeling approaches are applied to two cases of pottery in which evidence for alteration was found. Additionally, TL dating performed on pottery of one of the studied cases, indicates the importance of leaching effects on absolute dating measurements.

The following observations do not pretend to offer conclusive solutions for the manifold problems arising from the separation of Germany into two sovereign states with antagonistic social systems.1 Nevertheless, some of these problems can be clarified by looking at the current West German debate on the changing state of national unity within a historical and a broadly European context. Historical experience shows that reliable predictions about the strength or weakness of specific nationalist movements are hardly possible. A comparative approach to the German national question of today, however, will modify the supposed assumption about its uniqueness, throw some light on possible future developments, and in the process question the interpretation that a reemergence of the nineteenth century German nation-state is either possible or imminent.2