On some unidentified ceramic objects from Seglamen, northern Ethiopia

Alberto De Bonis (a), Vincenza Guarino (a) & Luisa Sernicola (b)
(a) Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e delle Risorse (DiSTAR), Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134 Napoli, Italy . E-mail: alberto.debonis@unina.it (b) Dipartimento Asia Africa e Mediterraneo, Università degli Studi di Napoli 'L'Orientale', Piazza S. Domenico Maggiore 12, 80134 Napoli, Italy.

A series of unidentified ceramic objects, dating back to the "Pre-Aksumite" period, was discovered in the site of Seglamen (northern Ethiopia) during an archaeological expedition of the Naples University "L'Orientale". Minero-petrographic analyses, performed at the Naples University Federico II, evidenced that most samples were manufactured by using a locally available tempering raw material, mostly composed of felsic rock fragments. SEM observation and XRPD analyses evidenced the occurrence of both well fired (T > 800 °C) and scarcely fired products. The latter most probably represent production wastes and, therefore, another clue of a possible local manufacture.

Ceramic objects, Seglamen, Ethiopia, Minero-petrographic analyses.