The Celtic graphitic ceramics are a distinctive type of pottery, known from most part of the Central European Celtic world. In the territory of Hungary graphitic situla-like pots were produced in great numbers from the middle La Tène period (LT B2) until the decline of the Celtic dominion (1st cent. A.D.). Widespread occurrence of graphitic (i.e. graphite-bearing) ceramics, not only around the graphite sources, suggests their extended trade. The provenance and the main distribution form (raw material, graphitic clay or finished graphitic ware) of graphite are, however, still not clear.

This study was performed on graphitic and non-graphitic sherds from Dunaszentgyörgy archaeological site located in South-Hungary (LT B2-C1). Both graphitic and non-graphitic ceramics contain similar non-plastic components, mainly quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, muscovite, calcareous fragments, as well as apatite and zircon inclusions in quartz and feldspar grains. In addition graphitic ceramics contain graphite in variable size (from some μm to 5 mm) and amount (up to 40%). Graphite appears as opaque individual flakes in the matrix and also occurs in metamorphic lithoclasts consisting of quartz, K-feldspar, muscovite, sillimanite, kyanite, amphibole and tourmaline. Chemical compositions of graphitic and non-graphitic ceramics measured by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry are similar. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that most of the sherds lack hightemperature Ca-silicate minerals and the firing temperatures of both ceramics types were usually below 850ºC, in some cases below 650°C.

Raw materials of graphitic and non-graphitic wares seem to be very similar, and both types of ware were produced “locally”. The raw material could have been fine-grained (clayey-sandy) sediments (e.g. alluvium, loess), which are available in the wide vicinity of Dunaszentgyörgy. Graphite was imported and intentionally added to the raw material to produce a special type of ware. Graphite is derived from a medium to high grade metamorphic rock (graphitic paragneiss), which can be found nearest in the Moldanubicum zone of the Bohemian Massif. Comparing the mineralogical composition of graphitic lithoclasts with the published petrological data, the potential source for graphite is presumably located in the Variegated Series, in the area of the Southern Czech Republic. Our results support recent archaeological assumptions according to which the trade of raw graphite (together with the host rock), sometimes over long distances, is predominant in the La Tène period.