Archaeometric characterization of Iron Age indigenous pottery from the staggered turriform of Son Ferrer, Mallorca, Spain

Abstract

This paper examines indigenous ceramic production at the Iron Age site of Son Ferrer in Western Mallorca in the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean) through archaeometric characterization using chemical and mineropetrographic techniques. Results show an important shift in ceramic production through time. The Late Iron Age (Post-Talaiotic) pottery found at the site reflects the coexistence of various technological recipes for making pots, in comparison with a more homogeneous ceramic tradition during the Talaiotic period (ca. 850-550 B.C.). This diversified and poorly standardized production is interpreted in association with changes in the system of knowledge transmission among artisans, which in the Post-Talaiotic period (ca. 550-50 B.C.) was restricted to low-scale household production. The variability observed demonstrates differences in the use of natural resources for pottery making at a regional scale, as well as the interaction among various social groups in the area. Overall, the increased diachronic variability observed in the pottery deposited in the staggered turriform of Son Ferrer points to a change in the social role played by this archaeological site in the Post-Talaiotic period.