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Abstract The Liaotianjianshan kiln dates back to ca. 3700 years ago as a typical kiln used to manufacture proto-porcelain and stamped stoneware. In this paper, 22 ceramic shard samples from Liaotianjianshan kiln sites were selected to be analyzed by XRF, EMPA-WDS and DIL. The results indicated that the two types of samples have similar chemical characteristics in the body and the consistent firing temperature. The element composition of the kiln sites had low iron and calcium content, which was different from the materials from other areas. The samples had high calcium glazes. Two different types of glaze recipes were distinguished by the content of the minor elements, which also corresponded to the changes in the glaze color. The regular change of the glaze composition and the color reflected an advanced ability of the craftsman to control the glaze recipes. The ceramic properties and the technical maturity revealed that the manufacturing technology of the proto-porcelain of the Liaotianjianshan sites were in the leading level in Southern China during Xia and Shang periods, and Quanzhou seems to be one of the original producing locations of proto-porcelain within China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sarakenos Cave in Greece, which preserves a series of cultural phases from the Middle Paleolithic to the Middle Helladic (approximately 1600 BCE), provides an ideal site for studying transitions among prehistoric phases. We analyzed the strontium isotopes of various materials unearthed from the site, providing results that fill gaps in relevant data about the Boeotia area within the Sub-Pelagonian zone on the 87Sr/86Sr signature map of the Aegean region. The results show that the 87Sr/86Sr values of the human teeth from different phases generally fall within with the local 87Sr/86Sr range; thus, no migrants were identified at any period, indicating the people were either all locally born or moved from a region without evident geological variations compared to the study site. The results also imply that the foraging patterns of the equids and bovines were obviously different. The 87Sr/86Sr values of the equids tended to be more "nonlocal" than those of most bovines. The intra-tooth variation reflected by equid individuals generally follows three main patterns, with a tendency of premortal adaption to the local dietary conditions, and some equids probably foraged somewhere outside the distribution of Karst predominant in Kopais Basin. This study also suggests that the shells were most likely collected from Kopais Lake, which possibly had a slightly lower 87Sr/86Sr value than the present local value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]