New petrographic study of the sperrings ceramics of the monuments of lake Onega basin

The research goal was to define the structure and material of the Sperrings ceramics fragments. The research objective was to establish the existence or the lack of distinctions depending on the geographic location of settlements and the time of their existence. Forty fragments (two fragments per settlement) of the top parts (rims) of ceramic vessels from the monuments of five local geographical areas were chosen for a petrographic research: from Syamozero, Vodlozero, as well as the northern, eastern and western banks of Lake Onega. The study of the ceramics fragments was carried out in ground specimens using a MBS-1 binocular microscope with 16X, 24X and 140X magnification levels. As a result of the research it was found that 25 samples of ceramics were made of fat clays and 15 samples were made of lean clays. As for the composition of the leaner of the ceramic vessels, crystalline rock screes were recorded in 38 of them. Most of the samples made of fat clays (8 and 7, respectively) were from the monuments of Vodlozero and Syamozero, while most of the samples made of lean clays (8) were from the monuments of Lake Onega. In a number of settlements two samples were made of different types of clays. The author believes that it shows that two vessels were made at different times and represent two ceramic complexes dating back to different periods of time. New petrographic research of ceramics fragments, including those from the monuments of the northern coast of Lake Ladoga and lower reaches of the Vyg River, as well as new AMS definitions of the deposit from the vessels' walls are needed to confirm this assumption.