Experience of methods of natural sciences to study Tomsk kremlin archaeological ceramics

During the excavation of the medieval Russian city a researcher always find a huge number of various handicraft products, because the city is the center of the craft. The leading role is played by the fragments of ceramics, which are the most numerous findings on medieval Russian monuments. Ceramics as one of the categories of archaeological material - a multi-faceted, informative source containing information not only on pottery as a social and economic institution, but also about family relations, ethno-cultural contacts, ideological views, the level of technological development. The study of archaeological ceramics is interfaced with some difficulties which were described in the other papers. Nowadays there is a practice of using natural methods of analysis of the ceramic material to clarify the composition of the molding compounds, to identify possible sources of raw materials, refining temperature and firing mode and a number of other physical and mechanical properties of the ceramic material. The authors of this article set an aim - to evaluate the capabilities of the methods of the natural sciences to identify the technological features of ceramics from the medieval Tomsk archaeological collection, and also to determine its probable sources of minerals. The objects of the study are the fragments of ceramics found in the cultural layer of Tomsk Kremlin in mid XVII-XVIII centuries, which is located on the southern cape of Voskresenskaya mountain, and various fragments of clay with different mineral composition found on the territory of the modern city. Obtained data allowed us to make a preliminary conclusion about the existence of the resource base for the development of ceramic production in the medieval Tomsk, which is confirmed by the similarity of the mineral composition of clays with local archaeological ceramics (except porcelain and apparently tiles). The historical names of Tomsk streets also indicate the nature of the local pottery and brick production connected with it. Information about the clay fields as a possible source of raw materials for Tomsk ceramic crafts is also found in written materials. The analysis results allows to identify a collection groups of ceramics similar with the groups selected by visual inspection, but not identical. In addition, the groups identified by various scientific methods are similar, but not identical. This fact gives a ground for thoughts and further researches. To reinforce conclusions, and possibly get new data it is necessary to conduct larger studies of Tomsk Kremlin ceramic collection using spread spectrum of natural science methods, including structural and textural analysis and microprobe.

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