Terra-cotta figurines from the Roman theatre of Malaga (Spain): An archaeometric study

Abstract

A series of 22 figured Phoeno-Punic and Roman terra-cottas, of high relevant archaeological and patrimonial values, have been studied. The samples were recovered in the Roman Theatre of Malaga (Spain). A thorough analysis including stereomicroscopy, elemental analysis by WDXRF, mineralogical analysis by XRPD coupled with the Rietveld method, and SEM, has been carried out. Highly diluted fused glass beads probed to be enough for the X-ray fluorescence analyses, minimizing the damage to the samples. For selected samples, in addition to the classical use of the Rietveld method, the G-factor external-standard approach has been employed to get full quantitative crystalline and amorphous phase analysis. The analytical results allow proposing a local/regional provenance for the main part of the samples, being a relevant data for several artifacts, not contextualized due to stratigraphic alterations in the site. In addition, some relevant samples, for instance a theatrical mask fragment (TRC005), are likely foreign. The overall amorphous is not negligible in phase quantification, accounting for up to 50 wt %. Technologically, all terra-cotta samples are similar, made of calcareous clays, fired at ~700-950 °C.