The use of the proton-induced x-ray emission technique in provenance studies on prehistoric Papuan pottery is described. Sample preparation and effects of water source (seawater or fresh) and firing temperature on the analyses are discussed. After excluding elements due to the effects of the above factors, those which are routinely used for sourcing are (major) silicon, aluminum, potassium, calcium, titanium and iron; and (trace elements) vanadium, strontium and rubidium.