Archaeometric investigations of the Late Roman Period red slip ware from Caesarea Germanicia (Kahramanmaraş, Southeastern Anatolia)

Abstract

In the present study, red slip wares excavated from the ancient city of Germanicia (modern Kahramanmaras, Southeastern Anatolia) were subjected to an archaeometric analysis. A multi-analytical approach was employed, including stereomicroscopy, optical microscopy, XRPD, SEM-EDS, and XRF to explore the mineralogical and chemical compositions of the samples. Based on both archaeological and archaeometric criteria, the samples were classified into three main categories: African, Phocaean, and Sagalassos red slip wares. The African red slip wares were characterized by an abundance of coarse quartz inclusion, accompanied by lesser quantities of plagioclase and mica. The Phocaean red slip wares primarily consisted of quartz, feldspar, and mica. In contrast, the Sagalassos red slip wares featured a groundmass rich in quartz, mica/biotite, hematite, and opaque minerals. Thermoanalytical data indicated that all samples were fired at temperatures between 800 and 900 degrees C. The results suggest that red slip wares found at Germanicia were not manufactured using local available clay sources but rather originated from different regions. This evidence further provides that Germanicia was actively involved in trade networks and interacted with various ancient urban centers, such as Africa, Phocaean, and Sagalassos, during the Late Roman Period, between the fourth and fifth centuries AD.