EDXRF STUDIES ON THE CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION OF ANCIENT PORCELAIN BODIESFROM LINJIANG, JIANGXI, CHINA

Energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence was used to study Linjiang porcel ains, collected from a newly discovered kiln site and covering the Fiv e Dynasties period to the Ming Dynasty. Major and trace component anal ysis of the sample bodies was carried out, in addition to principal co mponent analysis with multivariate trace elements. The results show th at the Linjiang ware is very similar to that from Jizhou, which is com pletely consistent with recent archaeological inference. The chemical character of the trace elements obtained would seem to have considerab le potential for sensitive discrimination. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.