A petrographic and chemical analysis of Trinidad pre-colonial ceramics

ABSTRACT This work presents an exploratory investigation into the production of pre-colonial ceramics found on Trinidad through petrography and chemical analysis with XRF and ICP-OES. Four main petrofabric groups are identified and described: a shell-tempered group, a sponge spicules group, a grog group and a micaschist/quartzite group. All evidence suggest an origin local to the island. Most of the petrofabric groups are consistent with ceramic series which were previously described, but never analysed petrographically and/or chemically. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT