Microscopic Structure Analysis of Qoli Darvish Pottery from the Early Bronze Age to Iron Age I

Petrographic studies play a significant role in understanding the structural characteristics and compositions of ceramic artifacts, contributing to the identification of cultural transformations and exchanges based on technical changes in these objects. As such, it is consistently a central component of studies on analyzable artifacts. The archaeological site of Qoli Darvish, located 3 km south of the city of Qom, spans over an area of approximately 30 hectares and contains valuable archaeological remains, including distinctive types of pottery ranging from the Early Bronze Age to Iron Age I. In this study, aimed at investigating the texture, components, and classification of the pottery, 37 pieces of ceramic artifacts discovered during the 2015 excavations were analyzed. Thin-section petrographic analysis, focusing on identifying microscopic structures and existing minerals, was used for this purpose. The results revealed three distinct textures in the pottery samples: coarse-grained heterogeneous or porphyritic texture, fine-grained or silty texture, and clastic texture. The clay matrix of these ceramics shows minimal sorting of its components and contains grog and coarse fillers. Various igneous rock fragments, grog (remnants of silt, clay, or crushed ceramics), calcite, and quartz are visible in the samples. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the materials used in the production of these ceramics were generally local and sourced from the surrounding region.