ANALYSIS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTTERY BY X-RAY-FLUORESCENCE SPECTROMETRYAPPLYING THE LIMIT DILUTION METHOD

A method for correcting the intensity of x-ray fluorescence (limit dil ution method) is proposed for the analysis of samples with a complex m atrix such as ceramic materials of archaeological interest. This metho d corrects the interelement effects, resolving the wide deviations whi ch occur in the quantitative results obtained by x-ray fluorescence wi thout correction. The contents of sodium, magnesium, aluminium, silico n, potassium, calcium, titanium and iron in sixteen archaeological cer amic samples of different origins and from different locations were de termined. The results obtained are comparable to the values obtained b y chemical analysis. A statistical study of the data was carried out t o classify the samples hierarchically by cluster analysis of their che mical composition and loss on ignition.