Analyses of crucibles from southern and western Sweden using handheld XRF

In this article some initial results from the projects "Bronsildems deglar" (en. "Bronze Age melting crucibles") and "Deglarna frin Bokenäs" (en. "The crucibles from Bokenäs") are presented. The aim of the projects is to expand our knowledge of the production, use and discard of technical ceramics in south Sweden using laboratory analysis.

This article describes the results and conclusions made by analysing two materials (Löderup and Bokenäs) with the help of a handheld XRF. In the material from Löderup (a grave dated to the late Bronze Age - early Iron Age) the elements that are detected within the clay used for household pottery are in one case similar to those in the clay used for crucibles and clay moulds for melting/casting metal and in another case dissimilar. The clays used for the mould and crucible seem to be more or less the same according to the analysis. The Bokenäs material (consisting of 6 crucible sherds) is according to the results from the XRF analysis made of the same clay. Even though the two find materials are separated geographically, chronologically and quantitatively they have one common feature: high amounts of Ca in the crucibles. The occurence of this element shows a connection with the presence of the traces of Cu-alloy found on the crucible sherds.

The first conclusion that is made in this study is that the XRF-results so far show us that choice of clay for technical ceramics may, or may not be the same as the raw material for household pottery. In this case it varies even within the same context. The second is that the Ca value clearly seems to have a connection with the presence of Cu-alloy traces.