International Pots of Mystery: Using PXRF spectroscopy to identify the provenance of botijas from 16th Century sites on Peru's north coast

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Highlights

  • Visual and portable XRF analyses were carried out on botijas from San Miguel de Piura and Carrizales, north coast Peru.

  • Botijas made in the Old and New World were identified visually.

  • Using PXRF spectroscopy, New World provenance identifications were further refined to Panama and South America.

  • At San Miguel de Piura, only Spanish-made sherds were identified in the context under study.

  • At Carrizales, sherds from Spain and the New World were identified, with Spanish-made sherds more abundant than the latter.

Abstract

This study presents the results of visual and portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) analyses of botijas/olive jars from the 16th Century sites of San Miguel de Piura and Carrizales, north coast Peru. Although visual analysis generally enabled the discrimination of Spanish- from New World-made sherds, PXRF analyses permitted further provenance determinations to specific regions and countries of origin. The results show that botijas from these sites variously derive from Spain, Panama and South America, with only Spanish sherds present at the church contexts under study in San Miguel de Piura. At Carrizales, Spanish botijas are abundant across church and domestic associated spaces, with only slightly higher concentrations recovered from church-affiliated contexts, and Panamanian and South American sherds also present. These results suggest that numerous economic, socio-religious and political factors were at play in the use and potential re-use of botijas at these sites.

Introduction

Over the last few decades increased miniaturisation of analytical instrumentation has had a significant impact upon the archaeological community, in particular developments related to portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectroscopy. Non-destructive, highly portable, commercially available and much cheaper than laboratory-based XRF instruments, PXRF spectrometers have been widely employed for the chemical characterisation of obsidian and metal, and increasingly ceramics. Although pottery presents a number of difficulties for such analysis, studies involving PXRF spectrometers applied in a manner mindful of methodological issues can provide useful insights into a range of issues around production, distribution and consumption.

In Peru, recent studies have used PXRF analysis to explore questions related to ceramic production and exchange (del Solar-Velarde et al., 2014, del Solar-Velarde et al., 2016; Pena, 2013; Sharratt et al., 2019; Vanvalkenburgh et al., 2018; Wackett, 2017). del Solar-Velarde et al., 2014, del Solar-Velarde et al., 2016 used PXRF analysis in conjunction with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy and cathode luminescence to study ceramics from the site of San José de Moro, specifically, Late Mochica fineline bichrome and polychrome, and Coastal and Highland Cajamarca-style ceramics. All three groups were shown to be chemically distinct, supported by results across techniques, indicating the use of different recipes and raw materials and suggesting that inhabitants incorporated local and non-local ceramics into their burial traditions. Furthermore, examination of pigments using PXRF analysis suggested possible incorporation of highland materials and techniques. Other studies have also underscored the need to use PXRF in conjunction with other analytical techniques. Sharratt et al.'s (2019) PXRF-based study of 70 tinajas across eight wineries in the Moquegua Valley led to the chemical discrimination of the majority of ceramics from the Valdivia winery, and suggested differences in ceramic production network participation between upper and lower valley wineries; however, due to the limitations of PXRF analysis, laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was suggested as a possible next step to further refine chemical groups. Similarly, Wackett's (2017) and Vanvalkenburgh et al.'s (2018) studies in the Moquegua and Zaña Valley, respectively, have also indicated the need for supporting techniques to improve discrimination, with only a few groups discerned from otherwise chemically similar sample sets.

In cases where PXRF studies alone show a lack of chemical differentiation within archaeological ceramic populations, such as some of those described above, numerous factors may be at play, including those related to instrumentation setup and sample selection (such as element selection, calibration setup, matrix effects, limits of detection and sample preparation), similar source materials and potting techniques, as well as the possibility that all samples were in fact made by the same production centre. In these cases, use of another analytical technique is suggested to ascertain if said similarity is a result of PXRF instrument setup related issues alone. In situations such as single valleys/small areas of production and distribution, where the geology and production methods are similar, the use of other types of analyses may well enable greater insights into ceramic production and distribution than PXRF analysis due to issues such as element selection and limits of detection. In this vein, the aforementioned studies also highlight that where ceramics were produced in multiple regions with distinctly different chemistries, and where those chemical differences are able to be measured by PXRF spectrometers, successful identification of at least production region should be possible.

This paper presents attempts to determine the provenance of botijas from the north coast of Peru at two colonial sites: San Miguel de Piura and Carrizales. Botijas are one of the most common and widely distributed ceramic types recovered from Spanish colonial archaeological sites (terrestrial and maritime) in the Americas, a truly global storage vessel made and found across the Atlantic and Pacific regions. Moreover, pre-existing studies provide a good experiment methodological starting point, presenting information on production and associated chemistry by region, dates and distribution, all of which can be used to inform the experimental set up. In this paper, the authors explore the benefit of such foreknowledge and test the limits of analysing botijas in the field, particularly whether or not it is possible to discern regionally-specific production centres. Moreover, through the analysis of provenance-based botija distribution patterns across multiple contexts at multiple sites, this study also seeks to explore the economic, social, religious and political factors that contributed to the circulation and use of these vessels and how these factors intersect with place of manufacture.

Section snippets

Approaching pottery with a PXRF spectrometer

The increased popularity of PXRF spectroscopy over the last ten years has not been without its growing pains as the wider archaeological community has explored and developed its understanding of the methodological requirements and associated limitations and advantages of this portable instrumentation (Killick, 2015; Shackley, 2010; Shugar, 2013; Speakman et al., 2011). In regards to ceramic studies, careful attention must be paid to experimental methodology. For archaeologists unfamiliar with

Botijas

Botijas (olive jars/botijuelas) are commonly found in Spanish colonial archaeological sites across the New World. Large, coarse and wheel-made, these ceramic storage vessels arrived in the Americas with the onset of Spanish colonisation and were soon produced in the colonies (Avery, 1997; Goggin, 1960; Marken, 1994: 41–138). These vessels generally possess ringed mouths, narrow necks and rounded bodies tapering to rounded bottoms, although flat bottom botijas have been identified (James, 1988;

The sites

San Miguel de Piura (Piura la Vieja) and Carrizales represent two very different site types. Although both sites were abandoned by the late 16th Century and were important to the contemporary maritime trade operating along Peru's north cost, the former was the first city established by the Spanish under Diego de Almagro and the latter, an indigenous reducción. Having been built and occupied by different communities under different circumstances, comparisons of material culture patterns at these

Experimental methodology

The sherds in this study derive from the adobe structure within the church at San Miguel de Piura, specifically from cuadrículas 88, 92 and 119 (excluding surface material), and from a variety of contexts within Conjunto 123 at Carrizales, specifically those surveyed and excavated during 2012, 2014 and 2015 (Fig. 2). A total of just over 380 botija sherds were identified at San Miguel de Piura and 443 sherds from Carrizales.

Visual identification

In the San Miguel de Piura collection, all sherds were visually identified as Spanish-made, except one that appeared to be possibly a New World product based on body colour, although the temper indicated a Spanish origin: 88-10-a-6. Of the rims, three are possible Type 5 rims (119-16-a-24, 92-8-a-2, 92-3-a-4) and three Type 3 semi-triangular/triangular style rims (119-23-a-10, 92-2-a-2, 92-2-a-12, Marken, 1994: 51, 60). Rim 92-3-a-4 seems to flare more so than the rest, and 92-2-a-2 seems

Discussion

The results of this study show that regions and even countries of origin can be determined for botija sherds based on the analysis of data collected with PXRF spectrometers, when they are appropriately calibrated and applied. In the cases of San Miguel de Piura and Carrizales, Old and New World sources were determined for botijas, with groups discerned largely by Ca, Cr and As concentrations. These chemically-based provenance assignments not only support visual identifications but also allow

Conclusions

This study successfully identified botijas produced in different regions based on chemical fingerprints determined using data obtained with a PXRF spectrometer. Botijas are one of the most ubiquitous ceramic types found on sites across the Americas and there is great potential socio-economic, political and religious information in the identification of not only the ceramic type but in the provenance of individual sherds. Analysis of botijas using PXRF spectrometers is clearly fit-for-purpose

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the XRF laboratory, SSEAU, MWAC, University of New South Wales for generously allowing the use of their PXRF instrument, as well as the Ministerio de Cultura (Dirección Desconcentrada de Cultura Piura) for enabling this project, including the use of their offices in Piura for analysis. Research on the San Miguel de Piura collection was authorised by the permission RD 018-2016-DGM from the Peruvian Ministry of Culture. The authors also wish to thank Rabeya Akter (ICP

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