African Sigillata 2.2 Fabric

Identification:

Fabric associated with African Sigillata 2.2, a class of gloss-slipped tableware probably manufactured somewhere in central or northern Tunisia or in western coastal Tripolitania.

Description:

Light red to red body with gritty texture.

Non-carbonate matrix containing very abundant quartz grains, sparse claystone bodies, and sometimes rare calcareous bodies.

Basic Information

Fabric Number:

130

Class:

African Sigillata 2.2

Number of Specimens:

Twelve rim and base fragments were examined on a fresh fracture surface under a binocular microscope and assigned to this fabric. Seven of these were photographed with a digital microscope. Five of these seven are provided with a specimen description. One of these five has been subjected to petrographic analysis.

Homogeneity:

The small number of specimens assigned to this fabric present some variability in the color of their body and in the abundance and sorting of quartz inclusions.

Raw Materials and Procesing:

It is unclear whether this fabric was produced using a non-carbonate clay containing a natural component of fine to medium quartz sand or by adding fine to medium quartz sand temper to a fine-textured non-carbonate clay.

Hand Specimen Characterization

Hardness:

Medium

Representative Colors:

Light red/red (2YR 5.5/8) with highly glossy light red (1.5YR 5.8/8) slip.

Red (10R 6/8) with highly glossy slip of same color.

Red (1YR 5/8) with glossy to highly glossy light red (2YR 5.8/8) slip.

Red (2YR 5.2/8) with highly glossy light red/red (1YR 5.5/8) slip.

Fracture Surface:

irregular

Texture:

gritty

Inclusions/Voids:

Type:

No inclusions or voids visible

Microscopic Characterization

Nature:

non-carbonate

Texture:

gritty

Inclusions/Voids:

Type:

Colorless grains (quartz)

Abund:

very abundant

abundant

Cond:

angular

subangular

subrounded

Size:

small

Type:

Colorless grains (quartz)

Abund:

rare

absent

Cond:

subangular

subrounded

Size:

large

medium

Type:

Reddish brown bodies (claystone?)

Abund:

sparse

Cond:

irregular

Size:

small

Type:

Reaction rims/white bodies (calcium carbonate)

Abund:

rare

absent

Cond:

rounded

irregular

Size:

small

Type:

Voids

Abund:

sparse

Cond:

rounded

Size:

small

Photomicrographs - Fracture Surface :

Compositional Analyses

Petrographic Analysis:

PEPP Thin Section 200

Provenience

Provenience - Country:

Libya

Tunisia

Provenience - Region:

C or N Tunisia? W Tripolitania?

Provenience - Locale:

No evidence.

Provenience - Discussion:

Mackensen and Schneider (20006, 174) state that the chemistry of this fabric points to an origin in northern Tunisia, while at the same time holding open the possibility of an origin in western coastal Tripolitania, given the abundance of vessels manufactured in it at Sabratha. Its similarity to African Sigillata 2.1 Fabric and the similarity of African Sigillata 2.1 and African Sigillata 2.2 in terms of forms, manufacturing technique, and slip suggest a possible origin in the interior of Central Tunisia, perhaps at no great distance from Djilma, the location of the workshop that produced African Sigillata 2.1.

Representation in Assemblage

Forms:

African Sigillata 2.2 Form 1

African Sigillata 2.2 Form 2

African Sigillata 2.2 Form 3

African Sigillata 2.2 Form 4

African Sigillata 2.2 Form 5

Specimens:

Relationships to Other Fabrics

Notes:

AFRICAN SIGILLATA 1 FABRIC VARIANT 3: This fabric can be distinguished form African Sigillata 2.2 Fabric due its fine to slightly porphyritic texture.

AFRICAN SIGILLATA 1 FABRIC VARIANT 4: This fabric can be distinguished form African Sigillata 2.2 Fabric due to its slightly less gritty texture.

.AFRICAN SIGILLATA 2.1 FABRIC: This fabric can be distinguished form African Sigillata 2.2 Fabric due to the presence of a regular component of presence of calcareous bodies and somewhat lower abundance of quartz inclusions.

AFRICAN SIGILLATA 3 FABRICS: THIS WILL BE ADDED ONCE THE DESCRIPTION OF THESE HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

AFRICAN SIGILLATA 5 FABRICS: THIS WILL BE ADDED ONCE THE DESCRIPTION OF THESE HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

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African Sigillata 2.2 Fabric

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