An innovative multi-analytical approach based on spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques to study a complex Roman amphorae collection

Abstract An innovative multi-analytical approach for the classification of ancient pottery sherds was tested. Twenty Roman amphorae fragments belonging to different known typologies and twenty-seven unclassified ones from a complex Sagunto Archaeological Museum (Spain) collection were studied by multielement analysis (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry), Fourier-transform near infrared spectroscopy and voltammetry of immobilized microparticles employing a minimal amount of sample. Chemometric analysis based on principal component analysis allowed the identification of most of the unclassified samples, proving the importance and reliability of th…