ABOUT THE USE OF LEAD AND STRONTIUM ISOTOPES AS TRACERS IN POTTERY PROVENANCE STUDIES

Isotope geochemistry has long contributed toward expanding our knowledge on the circulation of objects and people in ancient times. Lead and strontium isotopic systems are the most frequently used in the archaeological sciences. Lead isotopes have been applied in numerous provenance studies to trace the origin of lead-rich artifacts such as metals, glass or glazes. Strontium isotopes, that are most often applied in mobility and migration studies, are also used to source artifacts. A recent study demonstrated that lead isotope analysis also constitutes an efficient tracer to identify pottery provenance in the Eastern Mediterranean (e.g., Renson et al. 2011 [Archaeometry 53] 37-57, Renson et al. 2016 [Archaeometry 58 (S1)] 54-67) and the use of strontium isotopes has been tested as well (e.g., Alex et al. 2012 [Archaeometry 54] 821-834). The present research constitutes an application of both lead and strontium isotope analyses to Olmec-style ceramics from Mexico. Previous elemental and petrographic analyses of this type of ceramics have led to contradictory literature regarding the origin and exchange of these ceramics (e.g., Blomster et al. 2005 [Science 307] 1068-1072, Stoltman et al. 2005 [Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102] 11213-11218, Neff et al. 2006 [Latin American Antiquity 17] 54-76, Stoltman 2011 [Archaeometry 53] 510-527). Here, we report on the analysis of lead and strontium isotopes in fragments from various Olmec-style ceramic wares (including Limon carved-incised, Calzadas-carved and La Mina White) recovered from three sites (San Lorenzo, Canton Corralito and Tlapacoya). This study examines if the isotopic approach can be used as an independent method to confirm or refute previous interpretations and, therefore, contribute to tracing interactions in the Mesoamerican region. It also explores the strengths and limitations of the isotopic approach in this context.