The purpose of the present study was to measure the trace element distribution of waster pieces of coarse ware found on the pottery kiln site associated with Roman Tocra. These would then be compared with other coarse ware sherds found in Cyrenaica.

Neutron activation has been chosen as the method of analysis because several elements can be determined simultaneously, and also many samples can be analysed routinely.

Samples from any sherd were obtained as follows:

The sherd was brushed lightly to remove any foreign matter. It was then sliced with a diamond-coated saw into pieces about 5 mm × 5 mm × 2 mm all surface material being removed in the process. Each piece was washed quickly in dilute nitric acid (ANALAR), rinsed in distilled water and finally boiled for 2 minutes in distilled water. The samples were dried in an oven at 120° C. During all procedures polythene gloved hands and clean tweezers were used for manipulation.

Each sample was wrapped individually in aluminium foil and labelled with a heat resistant indelible marker. All the samples were placed in an aluminium can together with suitable standards for irradiation.

In this investigation the elements determined were scandium and iron. The oxides of these elements are commercially available in a very pure form (SPECPURE).

A known weight of the oxide was dissolved in hot concentrated ANALAR acid, hydrochloric acid for iron and nitric acid for scandium, and diluted to 25 ml in a graduated flask. The resulting solutions were about 1.5 mg per ml for iron and 0.15 mg per ml for scandium.