Indagini archeometriche di carattere minero-petrografico su ceramiche da Pompei

International audience; !e present research represents a new approach to the archeometric study of ancient ceramic vessels. !e traditional techniques usually used to characterize these materials in terms of compositional features, necessary to hypothesize provenance of the supplying raw materials, can be sometimes misleading. Sr and Nd isotopic composition of clay deposits and temper likely used for the production of ceramic manufacts of Campania archeological sites turned to be a valuable tool to validate chemical and mineralogical data. !eoretical mixing curves between di"erent end-members (clays and tempers available in Campania region) have been calculated in terms of Sr and Nd isotopic compositions. Ceramics of the Bay of Naples as well as replicas simulating possible compositions of ancient ceramics well #tted these curves thus con#rming the use of a Ca-rich clay from Ischia and a Phlegraean temper for Cuma ceramics. !e same temper along with a di"erent Ca-rich clay from Salerno likely represent the raw materials used in the ceramic manufacts from Pompei. A further con#rm of the use of this clay from Salerno was given by the comparative paleontological study on un#red samples found in an ancient kiln of Pompei and clays from the sedimentary basin of Salerno area.