JERZY TRZCINSKI, MAREK WRÓBEL AND LESZEK KIESZCZYNSKI

JERZY TRZCIŃSKI, MAREK WRÓBEL AND LESZEK KIESZCZYŃSKI 

Mineralogical and Petrographic Study of Sigillata-type Pottery from Delos, Greece 

Fig. 1.A-B Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, magnification X 50, 

X-nicols. Varied contents of sand fraction grains (0.05-2.0mm): A) contents from 0 to 2% (sample nr 26); B) 

contents from 3 to 4% (sample nr 29).



Fig. 1.C-D Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, magnification X 50, 

X-nicols. Varied contents of sand fraction grains (0.05-2.0mm): C) contents from 5 to 7% (sample nr 40); D) 

contents from 8 to 15% (sample nr 24).

A 

B 



Fig. 2. Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, X-nicols. Fragments of 

polycrystalline quartz (indicated by arrows): A) sample nr 24, magnification X 100; B) sample nr 25, 

magnification X 200.

A 

B 



Fig. 3. Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, X-nicols. Grains of Kfeldspars 

and plagioclases (indicated by arrows): A) sample nr 10, magnification X 80; B) sample nr 35, 


A 

B 



Fig. 4 Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, X-nicols. Pyroclastic 

fragments (indicated by arrows): A) sample nr 18, magnification X 160; B) sample nr 35, magnification X 500.

A 

B 



Fig. 5 Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, X-nicols, magnification 

X 200. Amphibole grains (indicated by arrows): A) sample 38; B) sample 39.

A 

B 



Fig. 6 Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, X-nicols. Limestone 

fragments (indicated by arrows): A) sample nr 38, magnification X 100; B) sample nr 39, magnification X 100.

A 

B 



20 µm 

20 µm 

Fig. 7. Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, scanning electron microscope, BSE (back-scattered 

electrons) mode, magnification X 600: A) sample nr 2, B) sample nr 9. Large and medium angular and poorly rounded, often 

cracked grey quartz grains are visible (marked by arrows). Fine dark aggregates with lighter rim are embedded in the matrix 

consisting of elongated and platelet grains of clay minerals. The body is topped by a layer of fine-grained slip.

A 

B 



10 µm 

10 µm 

Fig. 8. Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, scanning electron microscope, BSE mode, 

magnification X 1800: A) sample nr 2; B) sample nr 11. Around quartz grains clearly visible lighter and dissolved 

halo (marked by arrows), forming together with clay grains the fixed structure of the body. Both in the slip and 

in the matrix of the body (B) numerous fine light grains enriched in Fe.

A 

B 



50 µm 

0,1 mm 

Fig. 9. Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, scanning electron microscope, BSE mode: A) sample nr 9, magnification X 330; B) sample 

nr 5, magnification X 160. Fragments of clayey rock, marked by arrows in photograph B, consist mainly of a mass of aggregated clayey crystals in form of 

platelets several to below twenty micrometers long. In this mass grains of quartz and other minerals from several to some tens of micrometers in size are 

embedded, marked by arrows in photograph A. The rock fragments are surrounded by empty rims resulting from differential thermal expansion and water 

loss at firing synæresis. In the clayey matrix of the body quartz grains, often cracked are embedded (marked by arrow in photograph A) and dark, oval 

aggregates (marked by arrows in photograph B). Clayey matrix forms a lattice structure.

A 

B 



Fig. 10 Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, X-nicols. Fragments of 

clayey rocks, indicated by arrows: A) sample nr 21, magnification X 500; B) sample nr 37, magnification X 100.

A 

B 



200 µm 

20 µm 

Fig. 11. Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, scanning electron microscope, BSE mode: A) sample nr 13, magnification X 80; B) sample nr 

40, magnification X 500. In the clayey mass large grains of feldspars (marked by arrows in photograph A), grey grains of quartz of various size, secondary 

aggregates and large isometric and anisometric pores – black spaces are visible. In photograph B in the clayey matrix of the body with high contents of large 

aggregates of mica platelets (marked by arrows) a single grain of feldspar is visible (marked by arrow).

A B A 

B 



20 20 µm 

µm 

20 µm 

Fig. 12. Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, scanning electron microscope, BSE mode, magnification X 

330: A) sample nr 2; B) sample nr 5. In lower part of photograph A, large horizontal platelet grains of kaolinite, marked by 

arrows are visible. In the matrix grains of quartz (grey) and in the right top corner a group of dark aggregates are 

embedded. In photograph B a long aggregate of mica (marked by arrow) and oval dark aggregates are visible. An isolated 

grain of quartz is set in slip (marked by arrow).

A 

B 



Fig. 13. Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, X-nicols. Flakes of 

micas (elongated platelet grains): A) sample nr 20, magnification X 80; B) sample nr 38, magnification X 200.

A 

B 



200 µm 

200 µm 

Fig. 14. Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, scanning electron microscope, BSE mode, 

magnification X 80: A) sample nr 5; B) sample nr 9. Dark secondary aggregates 20-50 μm in size are marked by 

arrows. They are evenly distributed in poorly rotation oriented clay mass In the matrix embedded large grains 

of quartz (grey) and large anisometric pores (black) are visible. In photograph B, a large fragment of clayey rock 

(marked by arrow) is visible in upper central part.

A 

B 



10 µm 

20 µm 

Fig. 15. Microphotographs of thin sections of from Delos, scanning electron microcope, BSE mode: A) sample nr 5, magnification X 600; B) sample nr 9, 

magnification X 1800. In photograph A in the centre a secondary dark aggregate, 40 μm in size is visible. Its centre is sintered (upper arrow), surrounded 

by void due to thermal differential expension (central arrow) and a rim with fluidal structure (lower arrow). Around the aggregate lattice structure of 

clayey matrix is well visible, with large rotation conformingly oriented platelet crystals of kaolinite. In photograph B a single dark aggregate consisting of a 

rim (marked by upper arrow) and a lighter core, with more Fe (lower arrow). Space between the core and the rim is very porous (black areas).

A 

B 



Fig. 16 Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, X-nicols. Carbonateiron-clayey 

aggregates, indicated by arrows: A) sample nr 27, magnification X 50; B) sample nr 23, 


A 

B 



Fig. 17. Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, X-nicols. Zircon grains 

(indicated by arrows): sample nr 23, magnification X 200; B) sample nr 34, magnification X 500.

A 

B 



Fig. 18 Microphotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, polarizing microscope, X-nicols. Aggregate 

rims (indicated by arrows): sample nr 26, magnification X 100; B) sample nr 36, magnification X 200.

A 

B 



10 µm 

10 µm 

Fig. 19 Crophotographs of thin sections of sigillata from Delos, scanning electron microscope, BSE mode, 

magnification X 1800: A) sample nr 5; B) sample nr 1. The body is topped by unstructured and finely grained slip 

layer up to 20 μm thick with isolated quartz grains 2-3 μm in size, marked by arrows and dispersed very fine 

light grains, rich in Fe. The slip shows cracks parallel to surface due to shrinkage stresses.

JERZY TRZCINSKI, MAREK WRÓBEL AND LESZEK KIESZCZYNSKI

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