Early Neolithic pottery production in the Maltese Islands : initiating a Għar Dalam and Skorba pottery fabric classification

Abstract

The Early Neolithic (EN) period (5500–4800 BCE) marks the first sedentary settlement of the Maltese Islands by farmers. Despite advances in petrographic and archaeometric studies of pottery in Maltese archaeology, such methods have rarely been applied to Neolithic assemblages. This study addresses the lack of a systematic, published analysis of EN pottery from Malta, focusing on the Għar Dalam and Skorba facies. Thirtytwo sherds from the sites of Skorba (Malta) and Santa Verna (Gozo) were analysed using polarised light microscopy, supplemented by additional characterisation techniques (X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis). Three distinct fabric groups were identified for each facies, primarily differentiated by the nature of their temper. All primary raw materials appear to have been locally sourced, with no direct evidence of imported pottery. The results suggest similarities in production techniques between the two facies, such as paste preparation, alongside differences – particularly in firing regimes. Finally, the use of calcitic tempers reflects a technological tradition consistent with broader Mediterranean practices during the Neolithic.