The content of lithium, boron, and nitrogen was determined in ancient and modern pottery and its glazes by means of (n, p) and (n, alpha) reactions with thermal neutrons. Most samples demonstrate a proportionality between boron and lithium concentrations, with preferred values approximating 0.01 atomic percentage. Results for different archaeological sites of Sumerian, Babylonian. Assyrian, Phoenician, and Roman provenance are presented. The data scattering boron and lithium contents of samples from different places of origin varies considerably, and can be used as a measure of the economic importance of ancient centers. The boron/ lithium ratio of pottery indicates whether the clay had come from a fresh water or a marine sediment. Several samples found in the Mesopotamian region are highly enriched in nitrogen. -- AATA