Elemental analysis of Chupicuaro ceramics (Mexico)

This dataset contains analyses of 207 ceramic samples from the Chupicuaro culture (TR6 and JR24 archaeological sites, Mexico; Formative Period). The bulk elemental composition of the samples was obtained by portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF). pXRF An Olympus Vanta VCR (X-ray tube with rhodium anode; silicon drift detector with graphene window) was used in a laboratory benchtop setup (Vanta Work Station), plugged into a 230 V wall outlet employing a beam diameter of 5 mm (collimation). Samples were scanned for 90 s at 10 kV (low Z element concentrations) and for 60 s at 40 kV (high Z element concentrations) each. A face on each sherd was ground down using a diamond saw and laid directly on the pXRF sample window. Each sample was scanned three times. Analytical precision was validated with an in-house obsidian standard. No vacuum or helium flow was used. The Olympus instrument uses proprietary Vanta XRF Analyzer software to process acquired data with a factory-built calibration (GeoChem). Using the GeoChem internal calibration, 14 elements were quantified: Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Zr. The file pXRF.csv contains all chemical compositions, with the following columns: sample: sample reference. laboratory: analysis laboratory. site: archaeological site. chronology: chronological period. analysis: analysis referene. Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Fe, Rb, Sr, Zr: amounts (ppm).