Instrumental neutron activation analysis of the Vietnamese pottery sherds from Japan and Vietnam

Chemical studies on the Vietnamese pottery sherds from Vietnam and Japan were carried out to know their provenance, kilns for making them, through the trace element contents by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The Vietnamese pottery sherds used are 14 samples collected on the surface of four old kiln sites (My Xuyen and Phuoc tich, Hue ; Phuoc Ly, Quang tri ; and My Cuong, QuangBinh) and 7 samples excavated at three archaeological sites (Thanh Ha, Hue ; and Dinh Campho and Thanh Chiem, Hoi An) in the central Vietnam and also 13 samples excavated at four archaeological sites in different places in Japan (Nagasaki, Sakai, Kyoto City and Heiankyo, Kyoto). Contents of 12 trace elements such as Rb, Cs, La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Lu, Th, Hf, Co, Sc and Cr, and two major elements Na and Fe in the Vietnamese pottery sherds were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis. These samples (ca.30～50mg) were irradiated for 24 hours intermittently at Rikkyo University Research Reactor, TRIGA Mark n. The activated samples were measured by gamma-ray spectrometry using a high resolution Ge (Li) detector coupled with a 4096 channel analyzer. As a result of the cluster analysis of the element contents of the pottery sherds, probably 13 samples including four Vietnam and nine from Japan, were identified as those from the kilns of My Xuyen, Phuoc tich and Phuoc Ly. It is interesting there are no samples identified to My Xuyen kiln site, supposed to be the late seventeenth century. It agreed with the fact all of the samples from Japan were estimated earlier than that time. Also five samples from both countries have no adequate sources, so it suggests some of undiscovered kiln sites still remain in the central part of Vietnam.26KJ00000726201departmental bulletin pape