Resources procurement and paste preparation at Ogliastretto (CS). A quanitative approach to the petrographic analysis of pottery and raw materials

The Neolithic (6th millennium BCE) and Copper Age (3rd millennium BCE) settlement of Ogliastretto is located in the southern hilly edge of the Plain of Sybaris (Calabria, Italy). Macroscopic characterization of the two pottery assemblages and thin section petrography of 42 vessels and daub fragments were carried out for the compositional and the technological classification of the ceramic pastes. The main paste recipe, identified as the IM3 fabric, is locally produced, heterogeneous in granulometry, and comprises the majority of the ceramic assemblage. A smaller portion shows compositional variability, reflecting the local intrusive-metamorphic lithology, and is grouped into different macroscopic impasto classes and petrographic fabrics. To interpret the textural and compositional diversity in relation to resource procurement strategies and paste preparation methods, 12 samples of locally available raw materials were collected within 7 km from the site. Petrographic analysis involved a quantitative approach by performing digital point-counting on 2D images to achieve an accurate modal and textural analysis and a reliable comparison between sands, soils and ceramics. Cluster and correspondence analyses of modal data reveal distinct groupings samples based on composition, suggesting the targeted exploitation of specific resources available in the immediate vicinity of the site and, to a lesser extent and mainly during the Copper Age, on various sources at the local level. The textural analysis shows some evidence for the manipulation of raw materials through practices like hand-picking and tempering. This approach has represented a valuable tool for the in-depth investigation of deposits exploitation strategies at the local scale, and to better define the local crafting tradition and the social implications involved.