Export permit of Marshill rock shelter selected potsherds for macroscopic and microscopic analysis

Introduction
I would like to apply for an export permit of 120 potsherds of Marshill rock shelter. The typology and general technological trends have been studied by Dr. Faye Lander (University of Pretoria), whereas the provenance and further details regarding manufacture will be address by Dr. Alberto Dorado Alejos in the Arribas Palau Laboratory-Universidad de Granada, which is an Archaeometry research unit specialized in pottery analyses. Thus, the pottery analysis will be done through a collaboration of a South African University and a Spanish research unit specialized in pottery.
Sample
120 potsherds. From these 120 pieces 6 will be destroyed for thin section (read below)
The attached Table 1 to this application constitutes the sample already studied by Dr Faye Lander. It is approximately a 15-20% of the whole pottery assemblage at Marshill.
Methodology
The methodology used is intended to provide a more or less comprehensive approximation of the manufacturing processes of the ceramics located at Marshill.
Macroscopic Analysis. We will establish the Chaîne Opératoire by identifying the production traces. We will pay attention to the manufacturing techniques and technical choices, from collecting raw materials to firing strategies. This will be done with a Leica M80 stereo microscope, with an EZ-350 camera connected to a PC. It has two lenses of 0.5 and 1 X. Leica's LAS Interactive Data Acquisition Module. Non-destructive analysis.
Microstructural analysis. A microstructural analysis will be applied to provide further information on the organization of the clay structures, as well as the identification of possible sintering and vitrification processes. Undoubtedly, this information will be relevant to determine issues related to raw material selection strategies, identification of organic and inorganic additions, and observation of firing strategies. This will be performed with the Scanning Electron Microscopy: Focused on the identification of production traces, vitrification/ sinterisation -or not- of clays due to thermal shock from firing strategies, determination of minerals and rocks, determination of rare earths and post-depositional alterations. The specific instrument is Coxem Scanning Electron Microscope Mod. EM-30AXP, with Low Vacuum system and SE, BSE and EDX detectors. 15 Kv and 10 WD. Non destructive analysis
Thin section. Finally, a thin film petrographic description will be performed in order to provide a basic mineralogical identification (following the work of I. Whitbread and P. S. Quinn). To this end, a description of the fine fraction will be made, followed by a description of the coarse fraction and, finally, the morphology of the pores. This made it possible to observe three petro-factories distributed over the various levels. Thin Section petrography allows the basic mineralogical identification as well as observing their morphology, i.e. degree of angularity/weathering (determination of added or unadded aggregates in the form of tempering agents) and the size of the tempering agents included in the matrix. This is a fundamental technique for determining the type of quarrying of the clays - whether primary or secondary - and the type of clays. It also allows the identification of post-depositional alterations. This will be done also with the instrument with Carl Zeiss Axio Lab Polarisation Microscope and Camera: Canon EOS 1200D. The thin section will be done on 6 selected pieces of Table 1 and the sampling is destructive. We would like to select these pieces once we have examined the sample macroscopically and by microscopy in Granada.