Morpho-functional, decorative and petrographic study of islamic glazed/unglazed ceramics from the cities of Évora, Mértola and Silves.

Abstract

Glazed and unglazed ceramic fragments, recovered in the cities of Évora, Mértola and Silves, were the subject of a morpho-functional study, considering the typological and decorative characteristics observed in Gharb al-Andalus. Possible local and non-local productions in each city were identified by petrography of the ceramic bodies, considering the mineralogical composition of the ceramic paste and the local geology. As a result, a chronology between the 10th and mid-13th centuries AD were proposed for the samples studied. Regarding provenance, excluding unglazed ceramics produced in the city of Évora, the majority of samples were compatible with the geological characteristics of either cities of Silves and Mértola.