# The Interdisciplinary Approach of Some Middle Bronze Age Pottery from Eastern Romania
## 3 Results and Discussions  
### Macroscopic Results  
From the category of vessels for storage and transport of liquids, there is a single pot (L1) fired in a reducing atmosphere, with a finely burnished surface. The wall thickness is 7.87 mm. In the paste, medium-size ceramoclasts and lithoclasts, sub-angular with a distribution of 10-15%, were identified. These inclusions are well mixed and integrated into the clay matrix. Lithoclasts were isolated presences and were represented by three rounded pebbles, most likely from the raw material. The cooking vessels (L2, L3, L4, L8) were fired in a reducing atmosphere, having fine (L2, L3) and semi-fine surfaces (L4, L8). Two vessels had an outer ceramic slip as surface treatment (L4, L8), and two other pots had their exterior surface burnished with a hard object (L2, L3). The vessel L2 had a burning spot with fine cracks on the outer surface, below the line of maximum diameter, both caused by extended heat exposure. The wall thickness is between 6.97 and 7.83 mm, and the identified inclusions in the ceramic paste are small, subrounded ceramoclasts, with a distribution of 5-10% (L3) and medium-size ones, with a distribution of 10-15% (L2, L4). Large sub-angular inclusions were also observed, with a frequency of 10-15% (L8). In the paste of cooking vessels, mainly the secondary pores were visible, indicating a good mixing of the components. For the category of serving vessels (L9, L10), the firing took place in a mixed environment (L9) and in an incomplete oxidizing one (L10). The L9 vessel had a ceramic slip applied on the inner surface, and the L10 has both surfaces very well smoothed. On the exterior of both containers, there were visible secondary burning spots resulted from heat exposure. The thickness of the vessel wall is between 10.56 and 11.04 mm, and the paste of both pots have medium, sub-angular ceramoclasts with a distribution of 15-20% (L9) and 20-25% (L10). Storage vessels (L5, L6, L7) were fired in a reducing (L5) and mixed (L6, L7) atmosphere and had a semi-fine (L5) and semi-coarse (L6, L7) surface. Two of the vessels have their outer surface coated with a ceramic slip (L5, L6), while another vessel had its inner surface burnished with a hard tool (L7). The wall thickness is between 9.84 and 11.74 mm, and the main inclusions are the ceramoclasts, but the lithoclasts are also present in small numbers, resulting from the raw materials. The identified ceramoclasts are large, sub-angular and have a frequency of 10-15% in the clay matrix, and the paste mixing is fair, with primary and secondary pores. On the inner surface of two vessels (L6 and L7), there are visible traces of smudging (Figure 3) caused by using these containers in the preparation of hot food, information that will be verified through chemical analyses. The Monteoru vessel intended for storing or transporting liquid (L11) is brown, both on the inside and the outside. It was fired in a reducing atmosphere. The wall thickness is 9.16 mm. The fragment has a semi-fine surface and an exterior ceramic slip. The inclusions identified in the clay matrix are large-sized, subrounded, with a frequency of 10-15%. On the base of the vessel, secondary burning traces are visible and a series of large pores indicating negligent mixing. In the vessel's interior, a black layer is visible that covers the entire inner surface of the fragment (Figure 4). Those residues resulted from using the vessel will be of particular interest in chemical analyses. All vessels were made by the coiling technique, as indicated by the traces of joining or by noticeable bumps, especially on the inner surface of the vessels. The auxiliary elements (handles, grips) were made by modeling. Traces of joining and finishing of these components are also visible. Surface treatments consisted mainly of applying an external ceramic slip, noticeable in cooking and storage vessels. The same treatment is applied to the interior for the serving vessels.