The results of X-ray phase analysis of clay and loam samples from the archaeological sites of the southwest of the Lower Amur region

The article presents the results of X-ray phase analysis of clay and loam samples obtained from archeological sites in the southwestern part of the Lower Amur region. The methods of X-ray diffraction analysis were used for examining the samples from five main sites and their surrounding areas, including the sites of Malyshevo, Gasya, Amursky Sanatory, Petropavlovka-Ostrov, and Sheremetievo. The mineral composition of clay and loam samples has been identified; similarities and differences have been observed. The data obtained mostly correspond to the results of the earlier petrographic analysis of the Neolithic pottery of the Malyshevo culture (the early complex) from the same sites. The main conclusion is a general similarity of all samples of clay and loam in terms of mineral composition which mainly consists of quartz and feldspars (albite and orthoclase), as well as the local nature of their origin.