Comparative Archaeology Database, University of Pittsburgh
URL: http://www.cadb.pitt.edu
Email: cadb@pitt.edu

Isla Mocha Dataset
Roberto J. Campbell

Ceramics from Test Pits

The data files CERAMICS.TXT and CERAMICS.XLS contain the analysis of 2,339 ceramic sherds excavated from Test Pits in the site of Isla Mocha. CERAMICS.TXT is an ASCII text file; CERAMICS.XLS contains the same data in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. Each line represents one sherd. There are 2,339 lines in the text file, each with 24 variables separated by commas. The variables are, in the following order:

1

Site.

2

Unit. A 50 x 50 cm test pit; units were spaced 100 m apart

3

Level. Test pits were excavated in arbitrary levels of 10 cm.

4

Stratigraphic layer. If some stratigraphic differences were noticeable within those 10 cm, the layers were correspondingly subdivided.

5

ID Code. Unique identifying code assigned to each sherd.

6

Sherd type: Where possible, diagnostics were used to infer vessel form.
Base = base
Cuerpo = body
Asa = handle
Cuello = neck
Borde = rim
Punto de inflexión = union

7

External surface finish.
Alisado = smoothed
Alisado fino = fine smoothed
Bruñido = burnished
Pulido = polished
No obs. = not observable

8

Color.
Negro = black
Café = brown
Beige = cream
Plomo = grey
Rojo = red
Salmon = orange
Blanco = white
No obs. = not observable

9

Internal surface finish. Same as variable 7 above.

10

Color. Same as variable 8 above.

11

Wall thickness (mm).

12

External decoration.
Engobe = slip
Pintura = paint
Inciso = incising

13

Internal decoration. Same as variable 12 above.

14

Post depositional marks.
Agujeros de reparación = repair holes
Cepillado = fine scraping
Craquelado = creasing
Espatulado = hard scraping
No = none
Raicillas = rootlets
Surcos = grooves

15

Firing environment.
Ox completa = complete oxidizing
Ox incompleta = incomplete oxidizing
Red completa = complete reducing
Red incompleta = incomplete reducing

16

Sand temper. If present = X.

17

Basalt temper. If present = X.

18

Shells temper. If present = X.

19

Quartz temper. If present = X.

20

Grog temper. If present = X.

21

Graphite temper. If present = X.

22

Pebbles as temper. If present = X.

23

Silex temper. If present = X.

24

Mica presence at different concentration levels.
Alta = high
Media = medium
Baja = low

The first line of the ASCII text file, for example, looks like this:

P29-1,PS.29.01.01,0-10 cm,,w.1.1.1,Cuerpo,Alisado,Plomo,Alisado,Beige,10.81,,,No,Ox incompleta,X,,X,,,,,X,Baja

This indicates that the sherd was excavated from site P29-1, unit number PS.29.01.01, level between 0 to 10 cm from the surface. There is no strata, but sherd was given ID code w.1.1.1. Its shape identifies it as part of the body. The external surface finish is smoothed, and it is grey in color. The internal surface finish is also smoothed, and it is cream in color. The wall thickness is 10.81 mm. It presented no external or internal decoration. No post depositional marks were identified. The firing environment was incomplete oxidizing. The only tempers observed in the paste were: sand, shells, and silex. Mica presence was low.

The last, or 2,339th, line of the ASCII text file is:

P29-1,PS.29.01.02 Ext E,110-120 cm,,w.2E.12.3,Cuerpo,Alisado,Negro,Alisado,Negro,6.46,engobe negro,engobe negro,No,Ox completa,,X,X,,,,,,Baja

This indicates that the sherd was excavated from site P29-1, unit number PS.29.01.02 Ext E, level between 110 to 120 cm from the surface. There is no strata, but sherd was given ID code w.2E.12.3. Its shape identifies it as part of the body. The external surface finish is smoothed, and it is black in color. The internal surface finish is also smoothed, and it is also black in color. The wall thickness is 6.46 mm. It was decorated externally and internally with a black slip. No post depositional marks were identified. The firing environment was complete oxidizing. The only tempers observed in the paste were: basalt, and shells. Mica presence was low.

Download the file CERAMICS.TXT (284 KB) or the file CERAMICS.XLS (715 KB).


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