摘要：Graphite-tempered ceramics were commonly used by the Celts from Southern Germany to Transylvania and
from Bohemia to Northern Balkans in the La Tène period. One of the major scientific questions related to these
ceramics is the origin of the graphitic temper added to the clay, as such ceramics have been found on
archaeological sites distant from known geological sources of graphitic rocks. Thus, the first phase of the
archaeometric research should focus on the petrographic investigation of graphitic rock fragments of ceramics
as it may provide information on the geological origin of the graphitic temper.
Current work includes petrographic (polarizing and cathodoluminescence microscopy) study of Celtic graphitic
ceramics from Bátaszék-Körtvélyes dűlő, Szűr and Szajk archaeological sites and aims to answer the question
whether the graphitic temper used by different settlements was originated from similar geological regions.
Graphitic rock fragments in the ceramics are similar at all three archaeological sites and consist of graphite,
quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase, mica (muscovite, biotite), kyanite, sillimanite, occasionally calcite, tourmaline
and amphibole. The rock used as temper is medium to high grade metamorphic (amphibolite facies) graphitic
gneiss containing sillimanite and kyanite index minerals. Formerly studied graphitic ceramics from
Dunaszentgyörgy show similar mineralogical composition. Ceramics from Szajk contain higher amount of
calcite in the graphitic rock fragments, presumably marbly graphitic gneiss was used for temper.
Graphitic rock can be originated from several possible source regions; one of them is the Kropfmühl region in
Southern Germany. Comparative petrographic study has been carried out on graphitic rock samples from three
deposits of the region (Kropfmühl graphite mine, Steinbruch Grögöd, Erlau). Considering the mineralogical
composition of the rock samples and the metamorphic evolution of the region, in the case of the studied
archaeological artefacts the Kropfmühl region can be safely excluded as potential source area of graphite.
Based on the metamorphic grade and mineralogical composition, the most probable source region of the
graphitic rock fragments added to the pottery is the Variegated Unit located in the Southern Czech Republic, in
the Moldanubian zone of the Bohemian Massif.
