Crucibles Database

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Artifact ID BCES 756/2771
Site Ban Chiang (BCES)
Context feature
Period Early Period
Subperiod lower

Provenience Detailed Description Analytical Thin Section
AnalytComments: The crucible was used at least three times.Results of thin section: The exterior surface is a light to medium gray 910YR 7/1-6/1). The interior surface is primarily a buff color from the uppermost lagged layer (10YR 7/4, very pale brown). Where the buff layer is weathered away the surface is a medium gray (the top of another lagged layer). Three green spots appear on this layer, one near the end of the spout, one near the middle and one near the broken end. The first two spots are ~2.5mm in diameter. A limited area on top of the rim, just outside, is vitrified. Examination of a disaggregated piece shows an abundance of rice chaff temper in a quartz-rich paste. Rice chaff is present as impressions and as white casts. Quartz grains are clear to cloudy to dark gray, and rarely reddish. They are rounded to subangular and range in diameter from <0.1-0.4mm, rarely larger. Dark gray grains are somewhat magnetic as magnetite inclusions are common. Small pieces of magnetite also are present. Some matrix pieces have “spots” of black frothy glass. They are not pieces of slag and probably were formed by vapors during melting or smelting. Borders of these spots with the surrounding matrix usually appear gradual. The flattened head and wing of an insect are present. Of the three lagged layers, the first, on the matrix itself, is an off-white color and 0.5-1.0mm in thickness. There is a thin red to reddish-brown coloration under this layer. The second, or middle lagging, is light gray and also ranges from 0.5-1.0mm in thickness. There also is a thin band of red and grayish color at the base of this layer. The third and uppermost layer is a buff color and ranges in thickness from ~1.0-2.0mm, being thicker toward the spout end. At the base of this layer there is a thin red colored layer, and a little light green dross in the lower part of the layer. On top of the second layer there are several small patches of green dross and some very small light green spherules. The dross near the spout end, ~2.5mm in diameter, was probed and revealed a round spot of deep red cuprite completely surrounded by malachite. Other patches contained only malachite. Some tiny spots of malachite also appear in the second layer on the broken edge section. The crucible appears to have been used several times, at least three. A small section of the buff lagged layer (0.11gm) was scraped away and sieved for a size analysis as shown below: >0.5mm negligible <0.5mm -0.18mm 18% 0.18mm-0.125mm 18% 0.125mm-0.075mm 46.0% <0.075mm 18% Most quartz g