µ-LIBS imaging as spatially-resolved and quantitative characterization method for pottery

In our pursuit of characterizing pottery, we are pioneering a novel approach for multi-analytical characterization through µ-LIBS imaging technique (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy). This cutting-edge methodology facilitates surface analysis spanning a few centimeters, generating an extensive dataset of spectra, upwards of one million and beyond. LIBS offers comprehensive elemental maps with micrometric resolution, crucial for mineral characterization. Supplementing the capabilities of conventional microscopic petrography, our method enables the identification of the granular fraction, known as the temper, on a straightforward polished section of a sherd. Given the substantial volume of data produced across a large surface area, leveraging machine learning for rapid and automated spectrum processing emerges as a potent tool for recognizing mineral families within a sample. These outcomes can subsequently be harnessed to estimate temper characteristics, akin to the capabilities of quantitative microscopy. The resulting maps expedite the examination of temper proportion relative to clay, encompassing both grain size and shape distributions. Notably, in contrast to other elemental techniques providing an overall composition of a sample, such as XRF, the distinctive advantage of µ-LIBS lies in furnishing spatially-resolved spectra across the entire surface. This enables segmentation, allowing the exclusion of temper contributions from the bulk composition of a sherd. Consequently, a quantitative analysis of the clay alone becomes feasible, facilitating comparisons across different potteries irrespective of the added temper, as it is necessary for Lugdunum’s production. This, in turn, holds promise for enhanced identification of raw material sources and hence the provenance of vessels in future investigations.

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