Firing Temperatures and Raw Material Sources of Ancient Hittite Ceramics of Asia Minor

Abstract

The firing temperature and production technology together with the provenance and source materials of a group of the Domuztepe (Cilicia, Turkey) Late-Hittite ceramics were studied by mineralogical analyses. The mineralogical (presence of basaltic minerals and the formation of forsterite and tridymite as high temperature minerals) results revealed that this group of Late-Hittite ceramics were products of a mixture of local raw materials such as basalts (10-15%) and soils developed on olivine basalts (70-75%). Evidence demonstrated that the potters of that period were highly aware of achieving temperatures well around 1000 degrees C, despite the lack of proficiency or unwillingness to sustain prolonged firing durations, that later became the norm of cultures in Asia Minor.