Archaeometric analysis of a glazed Afro-Andean pipe from Trujillo (Peru): insights into its aesthetic technology

Solano-Calderon J.; Castañeda-Murga J.; Alvarado-Quintana H.; Weaver B.J.M. · Arqueologia (2026) · DOI: 10.34096/arqueologia.t32.n3.17271

Resumen

This study presents the results of archaeometric analyses conducted on a glazed Afro-Andean ceramic pipe from the Monumental Zone of Trujillo, Peru. The chemical compounds and oxides present in both the clay paste and the glaze of the artifact were identified, along with the compositional differences between them, using a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The presence of elements such as aluminum, lead, silicon, iron, calcium, copper, sodium, and zinc was recorded. The manufacturing technology determined consists of a clay pipe with a low-temperature sodium-modified lead-based glaze, applied with a brush and produced through a single-firing process. These findings demonstrate a remarkable technological sophistication, reflecting processes of adaptation and cultural hybridization in local colonial pottery. Finally, the results were correlated with an artistic representation and previously analyzed raw material sources and were further discussed in relation to the occurrence of this type of glazed object within the historical archaeological record of the urban center of Trujillo, Peru. Este trabajo está bajo una Licencia Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional (CC-

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de Trujillo