Analytical characterization of recently excavated megalithic sarcophagi potsherds in Veeranam village, Tiruvannamalai dist., Tamilnadu, India

Analytical characterization of megalithic sarcophagi potsherds from Veeranam, Tiruvannamalai dist., Tamilnadu has been performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Thermal analysis (TG-DTA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) and Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF). The EDXRF data of the potsherds were processed using multivariate statistical methods. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis allow us to identify grouping and structure in the data. The analytical results achieved in this study allowed us to estimate the firing temperature and manufacturing techniques. The methodological approach was successfully applied to the mineralogical, chemical and thermal characterization of the potsherds. Crown Copyright (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.