Internet Archaeology. 9. Middleton, Magrill & Humphrey. 1

1.0 Introduction

Ceramic petrography is frequently used to address questions relating to the provenance of archaeological pottery. However, in this instance, we have used the technique as part of a wide ranging investigation into the activities of a Late Bronze Age potter's workshop, from the procurement and preparation of the raw clay, through forming and decoration, to the production of finished vessels (Magrill and Middleton 1997 and in press). In our study, petrography has helped to characterise the fabrics of pottery made in the workshop, to investigate differences in paste preparation for specific vessel types and to identify potential sources of raw materials that could have been exploited by the potters.