Internet Archaeology 4. Perkins. 4.3.1a

Impasto fabrics

Name: Impasto 1

Code: I1

Distinguishing features: Soft, uneven oxidation and burnished

Colour: Orange - dark red - black	Texture: Slightly rough	Strength: Low
Hardness: Medium low	Resistance: Medium low	Fracture: Finely irregular
Manufacture: Wheel	Firing temperature: Low	Firing atmosphere: Mixed

Surface treatment: Burnished, some highly polished

Clay matrix: Well elutriated

Inclusions:

Type	Size mm.	Colour	Mineral %	Shape	Sorting	Note
Crystal	<0.25	Transparent / white and grey	Quartz 20%	Angular	Poor
Particles	<0.25	White	Lime 2%	Angular	Poor
Particles	<0.25	Red	?Grog 2%	Sub-round	Poor
Irregular	<0.5	-	- 1%	Sub-round	Poor	Organic voids shapes?

Notes: Can be similar to the ´Buccheroid´ fabrics but this fabric is more sandy and not well reduced. Surfaces are not evenly oxidised leading to a variable colouring.

Name: Impasto 2

Code: I2

Distinguishing features: Orange fabric and dark orange burnished slip

Colour: Dark orange surface, brown core	Texture: Smooth	Strength: Medium
Hardness: Low	Resistance: High	Fracture: Finely irregular
Manufacture: Wheel	Firing temperature: Medium	Firing atmosphere: Oxidising

Surface treatment: Slipped and burnished

Clay matrix: Well elutriated

Inclusions:

Type	Size mm.	Colour	Mineral %	Shape	Sorting	Note
Crystal	<0.25	Translucent grey/brown	?Quartz >5 %	Sub-angular	Good
Crystal	<0.25	Transparent	?Quartz/ Sanidine >2%	Angular	Poor
Particles	<0.25	White	Lime 1%	Angular	Poor
Particles	<0.1	Black	? 1%	Round	Poor
Platelets	<0.25	Silver	Mica 1%	Laminar	Poor
Voids	<0.25	-	- 3%	Laminar	Poor

Notes: Where the slip is eroded the fabric abrades easily.

Name: Coarseware 1

Code: C1

Distinguishing features: Sandy, orange - brown colour

Colour: Orange - dark red - brown - black. 2.5YR 5/6-8	Texture: Rough	Strength: Medium
Hardness: Medium	Resistance: Medium	Fracture: Rough
Manufacture: Wheel	Firing temperature: Low-medium	Firing atmosphere: Mixed

Surface treatment: burnished

Clay matrix: Medium - well elutriated

Inclusions:

Type	Size mm.	Colour	Mineral %	Shape	Sorting	Note
Crystals	<2	Transparent	Quartz 5-20%	Angular	Poor
Particles	<1	White	Lime 1-5%	Sub-angular	Poor
Particles	<2	Orange	Grog 1-5%	Sub-round	Poor
Grit	<1	Brown-black	? 1-5%	Sub-round	Poor

Notes: A very variable fabric, generally very sandy and orange-brown in colour. The main variation is in the size and amount of the quartz inclusions.