Mineralogical Indicators of Early Iron Age Clay Processing Techniques in Eastern Cameroon: A Pilot Study with Mössbauer Spectroscopy

Abstract

This study investigates the traditional method of pottery production in Mombal, a historically significant region in eastern Cameroon, known for its continuous ceramic practices from prehistoric times through the 19th century. Multiple techniques such as cross-sectional observation, X-ray fluorescence, elemental mapping, X-ray diffraction, and Mössbauer spectroscopy have been used for this study. The mineralogical indicators reveal new information about clay processing, including the selection of raw clay and whether potters added coloring materials in the paste, as well as the firing systems used. In particular, as an archaeo-thermometers, the residual of kaolinite and the aspects of iron-components indicate the irregularities in firing intensity and redox conditions in each part of the pottery cross-section. This suggests the possibility that past potters deliberately chose firing system such as bon-firing and pit-firing during pottery manufacturing in Mombal. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of Mössbauer spectroscopy in identifying hidden mineralogical indicators in archaeological ceramics, and provide crucial insights into the ceramic tradition of the Mombal region in eastern Cameroon.