Geochemistry and mineralogy of prehistoric pottery shards found at Gua Jaya, Nenggiri Valley, Kelantan, Malaysia

Abstract

Earthenware pottery is one of the common artefacts found during archaeological excavation works. Earthenware pottery is one of the tools used by prehistoric society as a tool for use in daily life. Earthenware pottery found at archaeological sites should be determined whether it was made by the local community or brought in from outside. Therefore, chemical analysis using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and mineralogical analysis using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) methods need to be done to obtain the mineral content and elements of earthenware pottery that can be compared with clay found in the area. This comparison is to ascertain whether the prehistoric pottery was made in the vicinity of the discovery area or brought in from outside. The results of this study found that the pottery discovered during excavations at Gua Jaya was brought in from other areas. Besides, it was also determined that the pottery was burned openly due to the uneven combustion temperature. The content of the pottery element also indicates that the pottery was used as food storage containers and also as appliances for cooking.