ABSTRACT
This work presents the preliminary results of the application of analytical techniques in the study of an indigenous painted ceramic vessel, dated from the end of the 8th century BC. Its fine and unusual decoration, of red and yellow colours, raised questions about the way it was produced and the influence that Mediterranean cultures had on it. The piece appeared incomplete and fragmented in Cerro Borreguero, a site located near Zalamea de la Serena (Badajoz, Spain). Non-destructive and micro-destructive analytical and examination techniques were employed: optical microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, polycrystalline X-ray diffraction, and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy. The obtained data has revealed the use of a non-calcareous clay with a medium content of iron, and the application of a post-firing decoration, employing natural ochres made of iron oxides and hydroxides, probably quarried in the site area.
