Provenance of Red-Figure Pottery of the Classical Period Excavated at Olympia

Most red-figure pottery fragments excavated at Olympia, Greece, were produced locally in the north-western Peloponnese during the Classical period. This was determined using neutron activation analysis (NAA), which revealed a characteristic elemental pattern termed OlyA, distinct from those of other regions like Attica or Italy. Only a small number of vases were identified as imports from Attica, while none originated from Italy. The study also compared local clay samples with Corinthian exports and Italian imitations to refine provenance analysis, demonstrating the effectiveness of NAA in distinguishing between regional pottery traditions.

Mommsen, H., Bentz, M., & Boix, A. (2015). Provenance of Red-Figure Pottery of the Classical Period Excavated at Olympia. Archaeometry, 58(3), 371–379. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12180