This paper presents the mineralogical characterization of 56 sherd samples from the Börükçü site, Muğla, Turkey. Principal component analysis (PCA) employing raw ATR‐FTIR spectra (825‐400 cm‐1) with 17 smoothing points discriminated the sherd samples into five different groups (A, B, C, D, E). The second‐derivative ATR‐FTIR spectra (two polynomial degrees and 11 smoothing points) between 1700 and 400

The mingqi is the material manifestation of ancient Chinese burial rituals. As opposed to the prevalent bronze wares in the living world, lead mingqi was one of the major wares for the netherworld. But research on lead mingqi has been quite sparse up to the present. In this paper, 11 Warring States period lead mingqi from three Chu sites in Nanyang are taken as examples and analysed by metallurgical

This article explores the materials and techniques of gilding in the Serbian wall painting of the 13th and early 14th centuries. The investigation focuses on the pictorial decoration of the churches at Studenica, Mileševa, Sopoćani, Gradac and Banjska, all founded by members of the Serbian royalty. The murals of these churches originally featured backgrounds covered with gold leaf and patterned to

No abstract is available for this article.

A method using the ratios between MnO, Fe2O3 and CoO to differentiate the cobalt sources for Chinese blue‐and‐white porcelain was developed in Oxford in the 1950s using X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis directly on the glaze. In this paper, six blue‐and‐white porcelain sherds from the Luomaqiao kiln were analysed by XRF on the glaze and by scanning electron microscopy with energy‐dispersive spectrometry

Painted beehive panels are representative examples of folk art specific and unique for Slovenia. Although without precedence in European ethnographic art, not much attention was given in the past to the artists’ materials involved in the creation of these paintings. The study – which included three different panels (dating from the beginning of the 19th to the second half of the 20th Century) – was

Radiocarbon dating of mortars is a method for absolute dating of historical mortared stone structures. Successful mortar dating studies have answered chronological questions, while other studies have revealed that mortar samples can have complications and contaminants. These can cause inconclusive results even with present state‐of‐the‐art techniques. Previous research shows that adequate and proper

Maya blue is a pigment found in different archaeological sites of different cultures from Mesoamerica, and also in colonial buildings in Mexico and Cuba. The pigment is made from a thermally treated mixture of indigo and palygorskite. Pigment samples from Aztec and non‐Aztec archaeological sites as well as reference Yucatecan palygorskites were studied in this paper to assess their differences. The

This paper aims to apprehend evolution of ceramic manufacture strategy in the Johnston‐Vieillard manufactory (Bordeaux, France), which produced white earthenwares between 1845 and 1895. Glazes of fragments of seventy‐six sherds, dated from different periods of the 19th century and found in excavations were characterised thanks to combined chemical and mechanical analysis. A comparative study was carried

This manuscript presents the study carried out on the painted altarpiece preserved inside the Santa Maria in Cosmedin Basilica in Rome by combining three imaging techniques operating in the near and mid‐infrared spectral ranges. The studied artwork is constituted by several pictorial layers and restorations, which have superimposed with time for stylistic adjustment and conservative purposes up to

This paper presents for the first time chemical data on the ancient (Antiquity period) marble quarries of Delos Island and some architectural marbles from its famous and exceptionally well‐preserved archaeological site. Delos geological substratum is mostly composed of granite including very few decametric marble enclaves. However, ancient Delian architecture is dominated by gneiss and marbles. A large

Three unique marble relief sculptures of the Roman period from Ancient Corinth were studied using a variety of non‐invasive and minimal invasive techniques. The sculptures are of similar size, relief technique, and distinguished material compared to all other sculptures in Corinth. Thus, apart from the interest in identifying the origin of this distinct marble the question of whether they could belong

Granulation is a decorative technique for metalwork where tiny granules are used. Recent discoveries in China confirmed that pure copper granulation was employed as early as the seventh century CE. However, the production techniques for copper granule are still unknown. Herein, a systematic study is carried out to produce pure copper granules by using “pouring method”, “heating method”, and “crucible

This paper shows that combining stratigraphic information with dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating in a Bayesian model is a powerful tool in producing a high‐resolution chronology for a medieval urban site. By using all available archaeological information, it is possible to construct a chronology of higher accuracy, transparency and reproducibility than that created through informal interpretation

Red and yellow pigments on more than 50 panel paintings were investigated. The studied artefacts dated from the mid‐15th to the mid‐19th centuries and came from regions in modern‐day Greece. Cinnabar and yellow ochres predominated. Ιn the case of the region of north‐west Greece there was a persistent use of orpiment and the employment of a peculiar ochre‐type pigment, while the rare lead‐antimony‐tin

The three members of Sledge Team 1 in the Denmark Expedition of 1906–08 died in the fall of 1907 trying to return to the basecamp in Danmarkshavn in north‐east Greenland. In their final approach they attempted to make it across 79‐Fjord towards a depot on Lambert's Land on their dog sledges, but were impaired in doing so by rough ice scape, exhaustion and hunger. The last to die was Jørgen Brønlund

There has been much debate over the decades amongst Cuban archaeologists about what group or groups may have created the rock art in the karst caves of Cuba. The complexities of Cuba's history made dating rock paintings an attractive method for determining their origins. Samples were collected from three caves in Mayabeque province, collectively referred to as Las Charcas. Chemical analyses were carried

The study of a huge repertory of sparse glazed ware from Donoratico (Livorno, Italy) dated back to the ninth century was carried out to investigate the production technology via petrographic, chemical, and isotopic investigations. The mineralogical and chemical evidence suggested the application of a lead oxide flux to an unfired non‐calcareous ceramic body, in accordance with late Antique and early‐Medieval

For Chinese high‐fired glazed ceramics, a slip can improve the quality of products in many ways; however, when and how the artisans started applying a slip before glazing is still relatively unknown. Some Han dynasty Jiangdong‐type calcium glazed wares were unearthed from two tomb groups in Zhejiang. The results show that under the calcium glaze layer, there is another slip coating, which contains

Proto‐porcelain wares were a type of prestige goods that have been widely discovered in aristocratic tombs and urban centers in pre‐Qin China. In the recent decade, the provenance of these wares has become a fruitful research topic, for which a major production center discovered to the south of Lake Tai has presented a promising candidate. As a good number of samples from six major production sites

Metallographic examination of numerous bronze objects from the royal Xiongnu tomb at Gol Mod 2 in Mongolia has revealed evidence for a tin‐conserving environment suggesting the emergence of a new technological tradition defined by decreasing reliance on tin and arsenic over time. This apparently humble alloy method was likely facilitated by the advent of iron and steel technologies replacing bronze

The ceramic colours of eight late medieval to early Renaissance stove tiles were studied by scanning electron microscopy‐backscattered electron (SEM‐BSE) images and SEM with energy‐dispersive spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS). Microstructural observations and chemical compositions of these colours give some insight into the colouring agents and techniques used by the potters. All decorations were applied as inglaze

Oxpemul is an archaeological site with pre‐Hispanic legacy located in the Calakmul biosphere reserve in Mexico. The stelae in this site have important epigraphic records of the Mayan culture. However, this information can be lost due to weathering processes that these structures undergo. In this work, ion chromatography analysis of ions extracted from samples obtained in situ using cotton poultices

Philistine Bichrome pottery is one of the most important, well‐known and easily identifiable features of the Philistines material culture of the early Iron Age (ca. 1200‐1000 BCE) in the southern Levant. The Philistines were probably a group of immigrants from the Aegean region and Cyprus arriving at several sites in the southern coastal plains of Palestine. More than 25 years ago, results from Neutron

Long‐chain ω‐(o‐alkylphenyl)alkanoic acids (APAAs) derived from the heating of unsaturated fatty acids have been widely used for the identification of aquatic products in archaeological ceramic vessels. To date, little attention has been paid to the diagnostic potential of shorter chain (< C20) APAAs, despite their frequent occurrence. Here, a range of laboratory and field experiments and analyses

This paper tests whether the distinctive black burnished pottery from the early Korean state of Baekje (c.250–660 ce) was, as is commonly assumed, under the control of a centralized authority. We employ an integrated approach, combining typological, petrographic and elemental composition data, to reconstruct the organization of production for this prestige ware. Clear heterogeneity in both clay sources

This paper discusses a methodology that involves the use of X‐ray fluorescence (XRF), high‐energy particle‐induced X‐ray emission (HE‐PIXE) and high‐energy particle‐induced γ‐ray emission (HE‐PIGE) spectroscopies for the study of historic denars with the aim of describing the advantages and limitations of each technique as well as arriving at an archaeometric interpretation of the compositions. A total

The refinement of handaxes, defined as increasing planview symmetry and profile thinness, has been used to distinguish Early and Late Acheulian assemblages. However, recent studies have found that this is not a ubiquitous trend throughout the Acheulian industry. Yet, research suggests that Late Acheulian handaxes differ from earlier forms in the complexity and extent of thinning procedures. To test

Dating from the fifth century bce, two Phoenician anthropoid sarcophagi, a male and a female, found in Gadir (Cadiz, Spain), are so far the most ancient marble sculptures found in the Iberian Peninsula. The identification of the source of the marble used to produce them has been a subject of controversy for several decades and has recently resurfaced when it was published that they were made by Phoenician

A set of 20 vessels was selected from the Japanese National Historical Site ‘Kamuiyaki Kiln Site Cluster’. Selection was performed with explicit archaeological problems and the potential of instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) in mind. The set was analysed by INAA and subsequent statistical data analysis adapted to the specific problems of ceramics and applied for the first time in Kamuiyaki

No abstract is available for this article.

The circulation of silver between the Americas, Europe and China has provided a critical impetus for modern globalization since the 16th century. Even though substantial documentary information about this process has been collected and processed, there is still an ongoing debate about its underlying mechanism and the nature of the economic model. This article argues that the scientific analyses of

X‐ray fluorescence (XRF), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy were employed to analyse the chemical compositions and phase structures of nine pieces of jade artefacts unearthed from Sujiacun, a Longshan Culture (2400–2000 bce) site in coastal Shandong, eastern China. The results of the analyses indicated these samples were primarily made from multiple raw mineral materials, including antigorite

Humans were regularly heat‐treating stone tool raw materials as early as 130,000 years ago. The late Middle Stone Age (MSA) and Late Stone Age (LSA) of South Africa's Western Cape region provides some of the earliest and most pervasive archaeological evidence for this behaviour. While archaeologists are beginning to understand the flaking implications of raw material heat treatment, its potential functional

This paper details the application of a statistical method for the chronological discrimination of silver coins using counts per second trace elemental, inter‐elemental ratios. The statistical method described is based on a method that has been applied to similar archaeological materials to determine their provenance. The method makes use of the inter‐element association patterns of multi‐element analytical

Calcareous nannofossils—very small‐scaled marine microfossils—occur in many archaeological materials. Foremost, these include limestones used in masonry, material which has not experienced significant modification by humans. Poorly documented are nannofossils in mortars, because the burning process of quicklime requires the heating of the raw material to > 800°C. Here we focus on calcareous nannofossils

Historically nearly nothing has been handed down about the techniques for how a Christian church was built to a certain axis angle. The main aim of the study was to investigate whether church axis angles have been aligned in a west–east direction by either ‘astronomical' or ‘equinoctial date' orientation. Axis angles of 3014 churches were measured using Internet satellite maps. Multiple regression

Nowadays the forgery of cultural heritage is on the rise, damaging the patrimony and its cultural value. Objects of value may still be unveiled at various construction sites or by other digging actions. Such objects will always raise questions about their authenticity because they were not unveiled by experts. Such findings will need to be analysed in order to establish their authenticity. The present

The provenance of the highly radiogenic lead (HRL) contained in Chinese Shang bronzes has attracted great scholarly attention in recent years. A new study of the Hanzhong Shang bronzes has put forward a hypothesis that the HRL metal may come from the adjacent Qinling Mountains. This article reanalyses the lead isotope ratios and alloy compositions of the Hanzhong bronzes. Combining the analytical results

This paper discusses the reorganisation of archaeometallurgical legacy data for future research. When archaeometallurgical research aims to answer questions that involve significant movements of raw material or metal objects, it needs to rely on large sets of data. These data are available but scattered across hundreds publications, where they are differently organised, based on the focus of the original

Wushi Powder initially was used as medicine for typhoid fever in ancient China. In the Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern dynasties, Wushi Powder became fashionable among the upper classes. However, because of the limitation of documentary evidence, it is difficult to find the true identity of Wushi Powder. Little archaeological evidence has been discovered to date, and no scientific analysis have

Fuente del Trucho cave (Asque‐Colungo, Huesca, Spain) is located in the central Pre‐Pyrenean range in north‐east Iberia, in the Arpán ravine, a tributary of the Vero River. The mouth of the cave is 22 m wide and it is oriented to the south‐east. The entrance gives access to a 24 m‐deep hall. Palaeolithic paintings were discovered in the cave in 1978. The Fuente del Trucho art comprises two sectors:

Non‐invasive materials characterisation of reconstructed statues of Emperor Qin Shihuang's Terracotta Army has revealed distinct micro‐geochemical patterning within the clay paste used in their manufacture. The significance of this is explored in terms of the production sequence, logistics and supply‐chain management involved in the construction of this enormous funerary assemblage. Of particular interest

The use of red iron‐based earth pigments, or ochre, is a key component of early symbolic behaviours for anatomically modern humans and possibly Neanderthals. We present the first ochre provenance study in Central Europe showing long‐term selection strategies by inhabitants of cave sites in south‐western Germany during the Upper Palaeolithic (43–14.5 ka). Ochre artefacts from Hohle Fels, Geißenklösterle

In order to carry out strontium (Sr) isotope analysis, glass artefacts from South Asia were sampled with portable laser ablation (pLA), a relatively novel sampling technique that leaves damage invisible to the naked eye. Subsequently, thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) was used to obtain Sr isotope ratios after sample dissolution and separation. In this study, the goal was twofold: to determine

In this paper six bronze artefacts of the Eastern Zhou period to Han dynasty (770 BC ‐ 220 AD) with tin‐rich surface decoration in the British Museum collection were studied using a variety of analytical techniques. The decoration patterns include trellis patterns (菱形纹) on two swords of the Yue state, tiger's striped patterns (hu‐ban‐wen, 虎斑纹) on two swords from the Ba‐Shu region, a hexagonal star

The reasons why the Western Mediterranean, especially Carthage and Rome, resisted monetization relative to the Eastern Mediterranean are still unclear. We address this question by combining lead (Pb) and silver (Ag) isotope abundances in silver coinage from the Aegean, Magna Graecia, Carthage and Roman Republic. The clear relationships observed between 109Ag/107Ag and 208Pb/206Pb reflect the mixing

Outstanding garnet beads were found recently in an elite tumulus dated to the fourth century AD and located at the cemetery of Hagar el‐Beida in the Upper Nubian Nile Valley region. Whereas contacts of Northeast Africa with South Asia have just been proven through analysis of glass beads found in Nubia and dating to the time of intensive Indian Ocean trade, scientific evidence for Nubia's link with

In Heydarian et al. 2020, author M. Emami's name has been corrected. The online version of the article has been updated. We apologize for the error. We apologize for these errors.

Due to a typesetting error, the final line at the end of the first paragraph on page 61 in [1] was truncated: Not surprisingly, virtually all the analyzed Northern Italian objects of thef Sout‐Eastern Alpine copper (see Fig. 6 and Table 3 of Artioli et al. 2016a). The line should have read: Not surprisingly, virtually all the analyzed Northern Italian objects of the 3rd millennium are found to be made

No abstract is available for this article.

When alloy composition information is sought across a single large artefact assemblage, how well do handheld methods solve the problem of museum environments which restrict the movement of artefacts and destructive sampling, and which have limited in‐house technical resources? The usefulness of relatively low‐cost handheld analytical instruments still needs evaluating in such arenas. The potential

Modern‐day Çorum is the homeland of the Hatti people, the culture that went on to form the Hittite Empire. Resuloğlu, which dates back to the latter half of the Early Bronze Age (ca. 2,500/2400–2,100/2050 BC), is a unique Hatti site with its settlement and cemetery areas systematically excavated. Among thousands of beads found at Resuloğlu, various materials were identified such as ceramic, copper

No abstract is available for this article.

Roman metalworking crucibles are frequently characterized by an extra outer layer of clay, applied to a pre‐formed vessel. Three‐point bending and standardized dead‐weight loading tests were conducted to determine the advantages offered by the extra outer layer. Deformation and fracture behaviour, at temperatures up to 1100°C, of two‐layer, monolithic and tempered‐monolithic briquettes were compared

We present the first Italian reference secular variation curves for both direction and intensity that cover the last 3000 years. Strict selection criteria were applied to guarantee the collection of the most reliable data within a 1000 km radius of Viterbo, including archaeomagnetic records from archaeological material and volcanic rocks. The new curves are calculated using Bayesian statistics and

The Early Bronze Age ceramic collection found into the caves of La Llana and El Toral III in Asturias (Spain) presents common decoration such as that found in the centre of Cantabrian Spain from the same period, which resembles others found in the Ebro Valley and Atlantic Europe. Therefore, the main objective of this study it is to identify the raw material origin and understand the pottery production

Small metal fragments were found in the tomb of the Wari culture elite (Castillo de Huarmey, Peru). These objects were subjected to chemical analysis using a scanning electron microscope with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and field emission (FE‐SEM‐EDS), an electron microprobe analyser with field emission (FE‐EMPA) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Chemical composition analysis showed that

Vessels made of chalk are common at Jewish sites throughout the southern Levant during the Roman period, apparently because stone was perceived to be impervious to ritual impurity. The study analyses samples from settlement and production sites to determine whether distinctive geochemical compositions might relate to specific source locations, and thus to provide the basis for conducting future large‐scale

Correct identification of textile fibres is an important issue in archaeology because the use of different materials can yield crucial information about the society that produced the textiles. Textiles made of plant and animal fibres can normally be easily distinguished, but to distinguish between different types of plant fibres, in particular different types of bast fibres, is difficult. Some years