The study of ceramics is one of the most important directions in modern Russian archeology, as it makes up to 90% of the artifacts found during excavations. Until now, comparatively-descriptive methods have been mainly used to study it. Instrumental physicochemical methods are also used, however, researchers most often solve rather narrow tasks with their help. Despite the constant accumulation of data, their systematization is practically not carried out and reliable criteria, the application of which would allow to reliably establish the places of origin of ancient ceramics have not been found until now.

The purpose of this study is to determine the chemical (elemental) composition of different genesis ceramics, to accumulate a database for different regions and the results systematization.

In this regard, several batches of samples were obtained from the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. They were studied by neutron activation analysis and X-ray fluorescence analysis, and statistical processing of the results was carried various methods. The seminar will present the results of the work done.