Artefacts from Ban Chiang, Thailand: Pre-metal Age cord-marked pottery

A Pre-metal Age ceramic shard from Ban Chiang, Thailand, dating to 1659 ± 29 BC (3609 ± 29 BP), reveals higher firing temperatures and distinct mineralogical features compared to Bronze Age pottery. Analysis using electron microprobe, X-ray powder diffraction, FTIR spectroscopy, optical microscopy, and X-ray tomographic microscopy (XTM) showed that the Pre-metal Age sample (PSN2-S10E13) contains more quartz and mullite signals, indicating higher firing temperatures, while also exhibiting a higher pore volume percentage than the Bronze Age sample (5412-S6E15). Phyllosilicate signals were present in both samples, with quartz E-modes dominating their FTIR spectra. Optical thin sections revealed voids around micro-particles in the older shard. This study provides new insights into the technological advancements and material use during Thailand's Pre-metal Age.

Tanthanuch, W., Tancharakorn, S., Rojviriya, C., & Bismayer, U. (2023). Artefacts from Ban Chiang, Thailand: Pre-metal Age cord-marked pottery. Zeitschrift Für Kristallographie - Crystalline Materials, 238(7-8), 233–241. https://doi.org/10.1515/zkri-2023-0015