Phase composition and microstructural heterogeneity of ancient ceramics from east Kazakhstan: raman spectroscopy, x-ray microtomography and scanning electron microscopy

M. Kenessarin, A. Zh. Zhomartova, Rinat Zhumatayev, Kuanysh Nazarov, Б. Мухаметулы, Bulat A. Bakirov, Egor Saprykin, Assel Nazarova, Elmira Myrzabekova, Sergey Kiсhanov

2026

Full text Open access: Gold Metadata (CSL-JSON)

DOI 10.32523/2616-6836-2026-156-3-200-217

Data confidence 70 medium

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Abstract

This study presents the results of a comprehensive investigation of ceramic fragments from the Shagantogay archaeological site (Makanchi District, Abay region, Republic of Kazakhstan) using modern non-destructive analytical techniques: Raman spectroscopy, X-ray microtomography, and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Raman spectroscopy revealed a heterogeneous mineral composition of the ceramics, comprising quartz, anatase, feldspars, and carbonate phases. X-ray tomographic examination demonstrated significant differences in the internal structure of the ceramic samples, ranging from dense and homogeneous to highly porous with inclusions of organic origin. SEM-EDS data confirmed the variability of elemental composition, which correlates with the identified mineral phases.