Pantellerian ware is a Late Roman cooking ware whose production centre was established on the island of Pantelleria by the pioneering research of Fulford and Peacock almost 20 years ago (Peacock 1982;Fulford and Peacock 1984). Archaeological and archaeometric studies carried out by the authors of the present contribution during the past four years have aimed to fully characterize this ceramic class. Recurrent ceramic forms, their distribution over time and space, their petrographic characteristics and their chemical identity, as well as possible raw materials and their technological properties, were considered. The present paper is a comprehensive review of this archaeometric work and aims to establish a 'reference group'. Using a representative number of samples of Pantellerian ware that were recently discovered in the island through archaeological field surveys or surface and submarine excavations, it was possible to characterize in detail the compositional variability of this ware in terms of chemistry and petrography. Furthermore, the physical properties of this ceramic type have been defined in order to better understand its performance characteristics, mainly in response to induced thermal stress. In the meantime, the experimental mixing and tempering of locally sampled raw materials have shed light on the ancient manufacturing process and have led to an approximation of the original paste. INTRODUCTIONPantellerian ware is acknowledged to be a distinctive ceramic manufacture ( Fig. 1 (a)) produced on the island of Pantelleria. It reached its highest diffusion in the Mediterranean area during the Late Roman period. The name of this ware was first proposed by D. P. S. Peacock and M. G. Fulford (Peacock 1982;Fulford and Peacock 1984). During their archaeological excavations at Carthage, which focused on stratigraphic layers dating between the end of the fourth and the beginning of the seventh centuries ad , they brought to light a cooking ware assemblage. Its distinctive macroscopic features and their characteristic morphology led these authors to regard it as a specific ceramic production. Moreover, thin-section petrography helped them recognize very particular non-plastic inclusions (mineral and rock fragments) that 456 G. Montana et al. © University of Oxford, 2007, Archaeometry 49 , 3 (2007) 455-481were directly related to the volcanic rocks outcropping on Pantelleria, thereby giving them enough evidence to propose that the island of Pantelleria was the manufacturing centre.The overall aspect of Pantellerian ware is sufficiently coarse-grained ( Fig. 1 (b)) to suppose that it was thrown on a turntable. The walls of the artefacts are quite thick (around 10 mm), often with visible trails thought to be due to rubbing with a hard tool. The colour is dark-brown to reddish-brown, evidently inhomogeneous due to possible irregular firing. The well-known forms, few but yet recurring, are relatively simple and relate to food preparation : pots, casseroles, pans, bowls and lids (Fig. 2). Since it was first reported i...

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Pollution is a global phenomenon, which has been proven responsible for countless untold havoc to the environment and ecosystem at large resulting into global warming, climate change, deterioration of the ecosystem, and scarcity of resources. Industrial activities have as a whole been proven to be an ardent contributor to the global menace of environmental pollution worldwide, with a contribution percentage of 61%, and the cement industry in particular has been ranked as the third most polluting in the industrial sector. As countries look towards a more sustainable future, radical gains and changes have been necessitated in the industry, and though strides have been made in terms of energy consumption with 6% gains and emission reduction between 20-40% gains, yet pollution is still on the rise in the industry. This review paper delves into the subject matter and examines the underlying links between pollution rise and industrialization and then the cement industry; key correlations, the current and potential gains made, current and future projections and the factors facilitating the increased rate of pollution in the cement industry.

Human activities contribute immensely to the production of wastewater which emanates from residences, industries and agricultural practices that pollutes the environment and water bodies. Up to 80-90% of the wastewater produced in developing countries is disposed of into surface and groundwater which is a major cause of environmental pollution that threatens human health. According to UN report, over 80% of the wastewater produced in the world and over 95% in some least developed countries is released without being treated into the environment. This paper reviews the methods of sewage disposal, the impact on the environment, aquatic contaminant and the human health. Emphasis is placed on the impact of disposal of various contaminants in aquifers and water bodies which could make water unsafe for drinking and to perform other domestic and recreational activities