Chemical Characterization of Micronesian Ceramics Through Instrumental Neutron Activation: A Preliminary Provenance Study
Descantes C. 2001. Chemical Characterization of Micronesian Ceramics Through Instrumental Neutron Activation: A Preliminary Provenance Study. Yap State Historic Preservation Office, Federated States of Micronesia
Abstract: "The development of exchange models from Pacific Islands' archaeological data is a major task facing Oceanic archaeologists. Chemical characterization of ceramics can assist provenance studies required for modelling past human interactions. This regional instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) conducted on ceramics collected from the Micronesian ceramic-producing islands of Belau, Chuuk, Guam, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap allows us to form compositional groups and provenance ceramics from the coral islands of Fais, Satawal, and Ulithi. Different island contexts, which cause post-depositional chemical transformations in ceramic sherds, do not hinder the provenance assignments." Project funding was provided by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia Historic Preservation Office, administered by the Interior Regions 8, 9, 10, and 12, National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Descantes, Christopher
- Date of Issue
- 2001-11
- Publisher
- Yap State Historic Preservation Office, Federated States of Micronesia
- Units
- HPF