Ceramic characterization and inter-site relationships in the northwestern Central Plateau, Iran, in the Late Neolithic to the Bronze Age

Abstract

Until recently, the syntheses of cultural development of northwestern Iran in the late prehistory, as with most areas in Iran, have been predominantly based on stylistic study of pottery. This thesis aims to approach the study of ceramics using an integrated approach employing methods derived from the physical sciences, such as petrography and chemical analysis, to provide a different perspective into the characterization of the different wares. This would provide further understanding into the process of production and distribution of the ceramics, which in turn would facilitate the study of inter-site relationships and the nature of cultural transmission of technology, not only within the Qazvin Plain but also with the neighbouring regions.