productions ceramiques du Quebec meridional c. 1680-1890

Historical records mention that over 200 potters were active in Southern Québec between 1655 and 1920. These locally-made productions are now found on every archaeological excavation undertaken in Southern Quebec, but their contribution to the understanding of the archaeological sites are limited because these locally-made ceramics are rarely identified. This study presents compositional analysis as a solution to the problem of identification and provenance of local wares. Through the analysis of major, minor, and trace elements (using ICP-AES and ICP-MS) of about 300 ceramics uncovered on 16 production sites, the author was able to distinguish and characterize the different productions, as well as relate them to the Southern Québec geological environments (and reduce the risks of confusion with exogenous productions).