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The use and production of black Mn‐based pigments for painting late (c. 900–1450) and Inca (c. 1450–1600) periods ceramic vessels in Northwestern Argentina: a multi‐analytical approach using μRaman, FT‐IR, and XRD Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-11 Guillermo A. De La Fuente, Mara Basile, Mariela Desimone, Kaare L. Rasmussen, Marina G. Martínez Carricondo, Guillermo Rozas, Sergio D. Vera, Juan P. Tomba, Esteban Crespo
Late and Inca period pottery in the Northwestern Argentine region present two or three characteristic prefiring colors (red, black, and white or cream) in their decoration. Sanagasta and Belén vessels from Late Period are characterized by a bichrome black‐on‐red/cream and black‐on‐red painted decoration, respectively, whereas Inca vessels exhibit a black‐on‐red painted decoration. Analytical results
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Issue Information Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-06
No abstract is available for this article.
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Four millennia of garnet trade in Northeast Africa—chemical analysis of ancient and Late Antiquity beads from Lower Nubian sites Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-08 H. Albert Gilg, Joanna Then‐Obłuska, Laure Dussubieux
Raman spectroscopy and laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry were used to characterize the chemical composition of 34 red garnet beads from Lower Nubian sites, dated between about 3200 BCE and 600 CE. All beads from the A‐Group to the Meroitic period feature a similar calcium‐poor almandine composition (69%–78% almandine, 15%–22% pyrope, 2%–6% grossular, 3%–9% spessartine), which
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The ornamentation steps of the Bull Rotunda of the Lascaux cave give new insights into the Upper Palaeolithic natural life cycle Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Ina Reiche, Colette Vignaud, Emilie Chalmin, Michel Menu, Jean‐Michel Geneste
Although the ornamentation of the Lascaux cave seems relatively homogeneous in style, the analysis by scanning and transmission electron microscopy of 32 microsamples from the figures of the Hall of the Bulls (Bull Rotunda) and one desquamated sample from the soil highlighted different paint pots. The black and red paint matters with their associated mineralogical phases were extensively characterized
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Lead isotope analysis of native copper deposits in the Lake Superior Basin Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-22 Ryan Edward Peterson
This paper is a pilot study using lead isotope analysis to source native copper in the Lake Superior Basin. Forty Pb isotope samples are sampled from native copper deposits across the Lake Superior Basin and analyzed via MC‐ICP‐MS at Indiana University's Metal Isotope Lab. The result of this analysis demonstrates that there is a significant overlap between Pb signatures of native copper sources within
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Preparation of bacterial cellulose for xylitol-reinforced waterlogged wood Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-16 Yulan Hu, Xinxin Wang, Luqi Liu, Bingjian Zhang, Lu Jiang
Reinforcement is a critical aspect in the preservation of waterlogged wooden artifacts to ensure their long-term stability. In this study, we investigated the use of bacterial cellulose compounded with xylitol as a reinforcement material for simulated waterlogged wooden artifacts at varying concentrations. Evaluation of the reinforcement effects was based on indicators such as antishrinking efficacy
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Chert sourcing using LIBS: The case of Cova del Parco, Spain Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Julien Le Guirriec, Marta Sánchez de la Torre, Bruno Bousquet, Yannick Lefrais, Xavier Mangado, Cynthia Belén González, François-Xavier Le Bourdonnec
Cherts originating from carbonate lacustrine environments have been widely exploited by Upper Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers in the south of the Pyrenees. Archaeo-petrographic sourcing studies have identified different potential sources but were unable to distinguish them. This study conducted geochemical characterisation of geological and archaeological lacustrine chert samples using laser-induced
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Diversification in subsistence pattern of animal resources in the Hengduan Mountains: Multi-isotopic evidence of Yingpanshan and Guijiabao site (5300–4000 cal. BP), China Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Ran Xu, Xiaotong Wu, Zhiqing Zhou, Jian Chen, Xiaoxiao Hao, Xingxiang Zhang
The Hengduan Mountains are located on the southeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, where farmers began to settle 6000 years ago. Animal husbandry plays a significant role in the sustenance economies of agricultural civilizations. It is unclear how Neolithic people acquired animal resources in the Hengduan Mountains. We explore animal geographical origins and feeding practices using the strontium
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Provenance, technology and possible function of Gáta–Wieselburg vessels from the Trieste Karst (northeastern Italy) Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-08 Federico Bernardini, Angelo De Min, Matteo Velicogna, Mélanie Roffet-Salque, Viktória Kiss, Zsolt Kasztovszky, Boglárka Maróti, Veronika Szilágyi, Eszter Melis, Elena Leghissa
A few scattered vessels, typologically attributed to the Gáta–Wieselburg culture, are known from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in northeastern Italy. This culture spread during the Early Bronze Age (Reinecke Br A1b and A2, 2100–1700/1600 bc) in present-day eastern Austria, western Hungary and southwestern Slovakia. Rare ceramic artefacts, typically biconical double-handled jugs with well-burnished
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Study of the manufacture of high-fired ceramics from Fujian (China) during the Shang and Zhou dynasties Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-06 Zhou Yue, Sun Heyang, Li Sijia, Li Li, Feng Xiangqian, Yan Lingtong
In recent years, some kiln sites from Shang and Zhou dynasties have been excavated in Fujian province in southeastern China, and substantial high-quality ceramic shards were unearthed. The research conducted by archaeologists indicates that these shards are likely the earliest high-fired ceramic products in this area, characterised by unique appearance features and are therefore valuable for exploring
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Earliest known well-preserved flour comestibles unearthed in the Wupu Cemetery in Hami, Xinjiang, China Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-06 Lijing Wang, Yong Ge, Yongqiang Wang, Guilin Zhang, Binghua Wang, Hongen Jiang
Exploring the utilisation of flour in ancient Xinjiang is crucial for understanding the use of different grain crops as staple comestibles. In this study, multiple analyses were applied to identify five flour food remnants discovered in the Wupu Cemetery (1100–400 BCE) in Hami, Xinjiang. Results show that two of the samples were comprised of broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) mixed with wheat (Triticum
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Microbotanical and chemical approach to grave goods content from Inca sacrifices (capacocha) at Llullaillaco Mountain, Salta, Argentina (ca. 1430–1520 ce) Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-04 Juan P. Ogalde, Gabriela Recagno, Fernanda Zigarán, Fiorella Villanueva, Bernardo Arriaza
Here, we report an archaeometrical study of seven grave goods from the Inca sacrifice at Lullallalico Mountain (ca. 1430–1520 ce) in search of microbotanical and chemical evidence of the content. Two queros (vessels), one aribalo (jar), one aisana (pot), and three textile bags were analyzed by optical microscopy and scanning electronic microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX)
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A preliminary geochemical study of the archaeological site of the Battle of Jenipapo (Piauí state, Brazil) Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-04 Antonio Leite Oliveira, Maria Conceição Soares Meneses Lage, Benedito Batista Farias Filho, Maria do Amparo Alves de Carvalho
This paper presents, for the first time, geochemical data related to the Battle of Jenipapo, a significant event that occurred on March 13, 1823, marking a political activity favorable to Brazil's independence. The present work aimed to analyze the contents of lead and copper as markers of historical armaments in sediments for geochemical prospecting of the archaeological area in which the Battle of
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Colourants on the Persian architectural decorations from the 11th to the 15th century Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-06 Parviz Holakooei, Amir-Hossein Karimy
Over 200 samples from colourants appeared in 50 monuments in Iran dated back to the 11th century up to the 15th century were identified using micro-X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF), micro-Raman spectroscopy (μ-Raman), polarized light microscopy (PLM), and scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS). Whereas red ochre, red lead, vermilion, and an organic red dye were identified
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It was a dog's breakfast! A radiocarbon and isotope-based study of dogs exploring dietary change during the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in Denmark Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-01 Rikke Maring, Jesper Olsen, Søren H. Andersen, Marcello A. Mannino
This paper examines newly acquired and previously published carbon and nitrogen isotope values in bone collagen from 58 dogs (Canis familiaris) dated to the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition. Using the Bayesian mixing model FRUITS, we estimate the marine or freshwater dietary fractions. These estimates, together with a radiocarbon-based Bayesian statistical model, have allowed us to calculate the freshwater
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Concentration-number (C-N) fractal models reveal the distribution pattern of the elements in ancient nephrite measured by portable X-ray fluorescence: Based on nephrite objects excavated from different sites in Nanyang, Henan Province Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-01 Dian Chen, Baotong Qiao, Wugan Luo
Changes in the composition of various chemical elements in ancient nephrite artifacts due to prolonged burial are critical factors that should not be underestimated. However, the increasingly stringent heritage management has made many techniques impractical. Consequently, portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) has become an indispensable nondestructive field analysis method. This paper aims to make use
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The systematic structural studies of some Byzantine ceramic fragments from Dobrudja region of Romania: Raman spectroscopy, neutron diffraction, and imaging data Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-31 Ayazhan Zh. Zhomartova, Bekhzodjon A. Abdurakhimov, Cristina Talmațchi, Sergey E. Kichanov, Denis P. Kozlenko, Maria Bǎlǎșoiu, Gabriel Talmațchi, Constantin Șova, Marius C. Belc
The systematic studies of composition and spatial distribution of main phases inside volume of 25 fragments of Byzantine ceramic obtained in archeological works in the Dobrudja region, Romania, have been performed using neutron diffraction and tomography, and Raman spectroscopy. The obtained structural data on the content of phases, the presence of calcite grains and pores, and the uniformity of phase
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Identification and analysis of gemstone binding materials on imperial rank belts excavated from the tomb of Murongzhi Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Yun Liang, Guoke Chen, Bingbing Liu, Chun Yu, Yiheng Xian
This paper analyzes and identifies the binders used in the jewel settings of the Baodian and Diexie belts excavated from the tomb of Murongzhi in Wuwei, Gansu, China. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated the presence of protein in the binder samples. The result of gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) shows that samples from both contained hydroxyproline, a characteristic
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Archaeometric study of the iron objects from the Xuechi sacrificial site and its implication for bloomery iron smelting during early Western Han period in China Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-21 Yaxiong Liu, Yaqi Tian, Kunlong Chen
Metallographic examination and compositional study of slag inclusions on iron objects unearthed from Xuechi in Shaanxi, China, have revealed the smelting and manufacturing techniques employed at this Western Han dynasty sacrificial site. The results suggest two production systems among the samples: all knives, nails, and farming implements were made from cast iron that had been decarburised/malleablised
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Archaeometric investigations of the Late Roman Period red slip ware from Caesarea Germanicia (Kahramanmaraş, Southeastern Anatolia) Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-17 Barış Semiz, Mehmet Ok, Oktay Dumankaya
In the present study, red slip wares excavated from the ancient city of Germanicia (modern Kahramanmaraş, Southeastern Anatolia) were subjected to an archaeometric analysis. A multi-analytical approach was employed, including stereomicroscopy, optical microscopy, XRPD, SEM-EDS, and XRF to explore the mineralogical and chemical compositions of the samples. Based on both archaeological and archaeometric
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SLAG—software for reconstruction of historical smelting processes based on slag properties Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-17 Krzysztof Kupczak, Rafał Warchulski
The publication presents the functions of the SLAG software created to recreate historical metallurgical processes. SLAG allows for determining the smelting temperature, the viscosity of the metallurgical melt, and the oxygen and sulfur fugacities during smelting. With software, both liquidus temperature and melt viscosity can be calculated using different models, covering the range of chemical compositions
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The implication of the technology and chronology reflected in the metal assemblage from the middle-class Xiongnu burials at Tamiryn Ulaan Khoshuu, Mongolia Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-15 Jang-Sik Park, Tsagaan Turbat, Noost Bayarkhuu
Bronze and iron objects from the middle-class Xiongnu burials at Tamiryn Ulaan Khoshuu were examined for technology and chronology. The bronze objects were made from copper–tin–lead alloys, mostly for ornamental purposes, while the iron objects were household items made of cast iron. Radiocarbon measurements dated the site to the 4th century bce to the 1st century ce. The results revealed two key factors:
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Issue Information Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-08
No abstract is available for this article.
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A possible production area of Chinese faience? Reference to beads decorating coffins from Shijia Yucun site, Gansu Province Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-07 Shiyuan Cao, Yongan Wang, Rui Wen, Feng Sun, Yubo Ren
Shijia Yucun site is a northwestern settlement from the Zhou period (1046–221 BCE). Faience beads used as a personal ornament and coffin decoration are notable among plenty of funerary objects. Thirteen faience objects are determined using analytical electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS). The information on their provenance
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Lead isotopic compositions link copper axes from Kietrz (Poland, 3500–3350 BC) to Slovak and Balkan copper mines Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-06 Łukasz Kowalski, Zofia Anna Stos-Gale, Kamil Adamczak, Roland Maas, Jon Woodhead, Aldona Garbacz-Klempka, Magdalena Kozicka, Dominika Kofel, Ewa Matuszczyk
Chemical and lead isotope analyses aided by metallographic examination of copper axes found at the Late Neolithic settlement of Kietrz in southwestern Poland provide new evidence for the origin of copper and metal trade routes in the region. Our results indicate that metal used for the axes could be sourced from copper mines in modern Slovakia, Bulgaria and perhaps Serbia. The evidence from this study
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Evaluating ChatGPT as a viable research tool for typological investigations of cultural heritage artefacts—Roman clay oil lamps Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-04 Eric C. Lapp, Louis W. P. Lapp
This study evaluates the current viability of ChatGPT as a research tool in lychnology, a discipline of archaeology focusing on the study of light use and lamps in antiquity. Prompts applicable to a common cultural heritage artifact group—the Roman clay oil lamp—were entered in ChatGPT to test its capabilities in compiling, categorizing, describing, and identifying lamp types, and to assess how accurate
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Beyond painted pottery: a longue durée story of ceramic technology in prehistoric Northwest China Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-04 Hein Anke, Stilborg Ole
This paper presents a study of ceramics from Northwest China from the Neolithic and Bronze Age (c. 3300–600 BCE), providing insights into variations in human–ceramic interactions over time and space. Based on macroscopic and petrographic analysis of ceramics from 10 sites, this paper shows that there is much more complexity in ceramic technology than previously thought. It identifies a development
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Staple food and possible famine food in Han Dynasty Guanzhong: Archeobotanical and stable isotopic perspectives Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-22 Dawei Tao, Huilin Zou, Qinlong Chen, Guowen Zhang, Yongqi Guo
Agricultural yield fluctuations caused by environmental and social factors in ancient China have been well recorded in extensive ancient documents; however, comparatively little is known archaeologically. This study revealed the consumption and utilization of staple cereal and possible famine food by Han Dynasty inhabitants in the Guanzhong area based on archeobotanical evidence, including plant macro-remains
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Cumulative effect of high-resolution silicone moulds on the morphology of cut marks Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-18 Noé Valtierra, Lloyd A. Courtenay, José Yravedra, Lucía López-Polín
The use of high-resolution silicone moulds for documenting bone surface modifications, such as cut marks, is common. However, it has not been evaluated whether moulding can affect the originals. In this work, the modification level derived from several moulding–demoulding processes on an experimental sample of cut marks has been characterised using geometric Morphometrics. It has been shown that moulds
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Bellows and furnace covers in the unalloyed copper metallurgy of the Chalcolithic Southern Levant: reassessing the evidence from Abu Matar Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-14 Thomas Rose, Stefano Natali, Andrea Brotzu, Peter Fabian, Yuval Goren
Unalloyed copper objects were produced in the Chalcolithic Southern Levant in a two-step process. Copper ore was smelted in pit furnaces, and the mechanically extracted copper prills melt in crucibles and cast into objects. However, the air supply remained unknown, and practical considerations shed doubt on the validity of some of the reconstructed practices. To refine the reconstruction, the metallurgical
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Composition of Roman period pottery from Jerusalem revisited Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-05 Joseph Yellin
A study of the L'MLK jar handles based on neutron activation analysis reported an average chemical composition of Roman period pottery excavated in Jerusalem. Evidence was presented supporting the idea that the pottery, made of Motza clay, was made in Jerusalem or vicinity. Recently, the validity of the group composition as well as its assignment to Jerusalem as the origin of this composition was questioned
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Issue Information Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-11-08
No abstract is available for this article.
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SEM technology for the analysis of tiny calcified remains from a pre-Hispanic burial from El Hierro (Canary Islands) Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-11-05 Alejandra C. Ordóñez, Emma Suárez-Toste, Samuel Cockerill, Emilio González-Reimers, Matilde Arnay-de-la-Rosa
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) enables the determination of the composition and structure of tiny calcified remains occasionally recovered during burial excavations. To deepen the practical application of this technique, we performed SEM/EDX analysis on three different tiny mineralized, roughly rounded structures with a diameter of less than
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First dye identification analyses conducted on textiles from Old Dongola (Sudan, 17th–18th centuries CE) Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-23 Magdalena M. Wozniak, Bartłomiej Witkowski, Tomasz Gierczak, Magdalena Biesaga
The Middle Nile Valley offers exceptional environmental conditions that allow the preservation of organic materials, including textiles. This paper presents the results of the analysis of 17 samples collected from wool, cotton, and silk textiles excavated in the ancient capital of Old Dongola from layers dated to the 17th and 18th centuries CE. Chemical analysis using high performance liquid chromatography
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Composition and affinities of glass from the Ma'agan Mikhael B shipwreck, Israel Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-23 Agnese Benzonelli, Eyal Natan, Yael Gorin-Rosen, Ian C. Freestone
Material recovered from the Ma'agan Mikhael B shipwreck, off the coast of northern Israel, includes a significant assemblage of glass, which appears to represent waste workshop material (cullet) collected for recycling. Twenty-three samples were selected for analysis for major and minor elements using SEM-EDS, to provide insight into the activities and dating of the ship. The glass corresponds to known
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Tracing origin and history of Virgin and Child in Majesty, the oldest wooden polychrome statuette in the Czech Republic Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-18 Janka Hradilová, David Hradil, Zuzana Širillová, Silvie Švarcová
A wooden polychrome statuette of Virgin and Child in Majesty, currently in the Museum Montanelli in Prague, is actually a torso. It was created in the 11th or 12th century at the latest, being the oldest wooden polychrome statuette in the Czech Republic. Current research combining advanced imaging and micro-analytical methods substantially contributed to the determination of its regional origin and
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Local or imported? The origin of the raw material used in manufacturing bricks from castles of the Teutonic knights in north-central Poland and their significance to our understanding of medieval construction techniques Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-03 Marcin Wiewióra, Wojciech Bartz, Jadwiga Łukaszewicz, Karolina Witkowska, Sławomir Jóźwiak, Paweł Molewski
This article presents the results of research on bricks from medieval castles in north-central Poland. They were characterised based on petrographic analyses of thin section and mutually complementary instrumental methods. The bricks came from the oldest parts of the castles preserved to this day, or from castles not preserved but examined and excavated during archaeological research. The data obtained
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Tricky technology of making silver seed beads in the Early Bronze Age, NW Caucasus Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-03 Viktor Trifonov, Natalia Shishlina, Anastasia Loboda, Vladimir Khvostikov, Eketerina Kovalenko, Elena Tereschenko, Ekaterina Yatsishina
This study reconstructed the technical chaîne operatoire of silver seed bead production in the Maikop culture on the basis of tracewear analysis and experimental research using silver beads from the Early Bronze Age dolmen (c. 3200–2900 bce) in kurgan 2 at Tsarskaya (1898). The results demonstrate that such beads were produced as a “garland” lost wax casting, when a garland of beads is formed on a
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Making money out of making money in ancient Athens Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-03 Gillan Davis, Francis Albarède
The observed weights of ancient coins are usually less than the nominal “ideal” weights of the coin standards to which they belong because state authorities took a fee—“seigniorage”—for minting coins to cover costs and to make a profit. The basis for calculating the amount taken by the state and the way it administered manufacture are not well understood. Here we analyze the weights of 1344 of the
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Test of the lateral angle method of sex estimation on Anglo-Saxon and medieval archaeological populations with genetically estimated sex Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-03 Jess E. Thompson, Sarah A. Inskip, Christiana L. Scheib, Jessica Bates, Xiangyu Ge, Samuel J. Griffith, Anthony Wilder Wohns, John E. Robb
The lateral angle method of sex estimation is tested on an archaeological population with genetic sex estimates. Casts of the internal auditory canal were made using a quick drying impression material on 90 individuals (76 adults and 14 nonadults) from Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Cambridgeshire. The anterior and posterior angles of the internal auditory canal were measured, and the relationship of the
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The modeling pastes of the monumental terracruda sculpture of the Silk Roads: Archaeometric study of the Tepe Narenj and Qol-e-tut examples (Kabul, Afghanistan) Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-02 Monica López-Prat, Raffaella De Luca, Alessandra Pecci, Simona Mileto, Sudipa Ray Bandyopadhyay, Andrea Bloise, Adriano Guido, Mara Cipriani, Carla Lancelotti, Begoña Carrascosa, Noor Agha Noori, José-Manuel Simón-Cortés, Domenico Miriello
This paper presents the results of the mineralogical, petrographic and chemical study of different archaeological samples related to terracruda sculptures and other elements that were part of the architectural decoration of the Buddhist sites of Tepe Narenj and Qol-e-tut (Kabul, Afghanistan; fifth to 11th centuries CE). The main objective of the study was to characterize the samples using an archaeometric
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New virtual approach to the study of metallurgy through the analysis of slice marks from the Chalcolithic site of Zanjillas (Torrejón de Velasco, Madrid, Spain) Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-10-02 Julia Aramendi, Verónica Estaca-Gómez, Miguel Ángel Maté-González, Cristina Sáez Blázquez, Jorge Morín, German López, José Yravedra Sainz de los Terreros
Although the discovery of metal objects is not common in Chalcolithic or Bronze Age sites, the study of bone surface microscopic grooves from animal butchering can yield evidence of the use of metal artefacts in these contexts. Additionally, the presence of slice marks made with metal objects in Chalcolithic and Bronze Age sites has highlighted the use of metal in common practices beyond their ornamental
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Comparing Clovis and Folsom fluting via scaling analysis Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-25 Briggs Buchanan, Marcus J. Hamilton, Nicholas Gala, Heather Smith, Michael Wilson, Metin I. Eren, Robert S. Walker
This study examines the fluting of two well-known Late Pleistocene fluted point types in North America: Clovis and Folsom. Using scaling analyses, we assess the changing relationship between flute length and point length in a large sample of each type. Researchers use scaling to investigate the physical constraints of an object and determine how its dimensions change with size. We compare the strength
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New results of obsidian artifact analysis from the middle and lower basin of the Salado stream, Río Negro province, Argentina Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-15 Jimena Alberti, Marcelo Cardillo, Charles Stern
The Salado and Verde streams constitute the two main seasonally available freshwater courses that flow into the Atlantic coast of the Río Negro province (continental Patagonia, Argentina, 42° South). This would have favored their use in the past as corridors for human circulation between the coast and the interior. This paper presents the results of the technomorphological and geochemical analyses
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The quantification of surface abrasion on flint stone tools Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-13 Guillermo Bustos-Pérez, Andreu Ollé
Lithic artifacts are some of the most common and numerous remains recovered from paleolithic archaeological sites. However, these materials can undergo multiple post-depositional alterations after their introduction into the archaeological record. Due to the high quantity of lithic remains recovered, a quick, flexible, and effective method for identifying degrees of alteration on the surface of lithic
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Characterisation of obsidian subsource variability at El Paredón, Mexico Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-12 A. Gabriel Vicencio, Aurelio López Corral, Alejandro Mitrani, Armando Arciniega, David M. Carballo
Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) geochemical analysis on obsidian from five Formative period (1200 BCE to AC 100) sites from Tlaxcala, Mexico, has revealed that most of the material had similar values to those found in the closest obsidian source, named El Paredón, Puebla. Nevertheless, initial analyses did not resolve whether these materials came from the same caldera or from a specific obsidian
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When DNA can't help: The osteobiographical profile and stable isotope analysis as auxiliary tools for refining genealogical relationships, on the example of the Swéerts-Sporck family Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-12 Jan Cvrček, Sylva Drtikolová Kaupová, Zdeněk Vytlačil, Eliška Zazvonilová, Petr Velemínský
Research into the family of the Counts Swéerts-Sporck raised doubts regarding their biographical data, particularly concerning a child who died in 1817, later identified as Philipp Swéerts-Sporck, and his siblings Joseph and Barbara. These were alleged to include a pair of dizygotic twins, but DNA could not be used to clarify their relationships. Carbon and nitrogen isotopes were therefore measured
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Preparation of a new calcite layer from calcium glycolate for the conservation of sulfated limestone artifacts Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-12 Taoling Dong, Lu Wang, Ting Li, Fuwei Yang, Yan Liu, Kun Zhang
A novel preparation method of calcite layer was explored for the conservation purpose of the surface sulfation limestone artifacts. In this method, the alcoholic solution of calcium glycolate was used as a precursor of calcite layer. After application on the surface of gypsum crust on limestone by spraying, calcium glycolate can combine with the carbon dioxide spontaneously and form a compact calcite
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Exotic blue pigments in the polychrome interior of Yongle Taoist Temple: A case of international trade during the Yuan and Qing Dynasties Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-12 Yihua Zheng, Weijia Guo, Luke Li, Jiulong Xi, Morun Zhang, Yutong Jiang, Xin Liu
Previous studies have established the use of various blue pigments, including both local and imported varieties, in the decoration of architecture in ancient China. However, the application of these pigments in local religious architecture has been understudied. In this study, the chemical analysis of ultramarine blue pigments was conducted on a mural painting retrieved from Yongle Taoist Temple in
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A multi-analytical approach to understand El Alto-Ancasti's painted pottery (north-western Argentina): Non-invasive and micro-invasive analyses of vessel's paintings from El Taco 19 Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-11 Lucas Gheco, Marcos Tascon, Carlos Barot, Victoria Zucchi, Marcos Quesada, Marcos Gastaldi, Emilia Halac, Rodrigo Álvarez, Fernando Marte
Archaeometric analysis applied to the study of pre-Hispanic pottery is a growing field in archaeological research in north-western Argentina. Most of these investigations have focused on intra-style variability, comparing samples from the same style but obtained in different sites throughout large regions. In this study, we propose to shift the approach and adopt a local micro-scale perspective to
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Horné Srnie: Emulation of Carpathian insignia during the Urnfield inflation Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-11 Filip Ondrkál, Jaroslav Peška
Double-armed insigniae of the Carpathian type are mysterious ceremonial symbols of the Urnfields representing the connection between ideological principles in the Western Carpathians. The Horné Srnie metal hoard shows that early Lusatian mountain communities developed an emulation strategy c.1325 BCE that shifts the origins of Lusatian metallurgy roughly by one century, using the elite style of the
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Lead isotope ratio analysis of lead ingots and bronze wares unearthed from Yinxu Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-11 Qiang Li, Guofeng Wei, Haiyan Huang, Jigen Tang, Bingjian Zhang
This study gives the element compositions and Pb isotope ratios of three lead ingots and three bronze artefacts unearthed from Yinxu, Anyang, Henan province, and two lead vessels from Zhengxiaozhuang tomb, Anhui province, China. The results of composition analysis show that three lead ingots in Yinxu may be the primary product of lead smelting. The lead wares unearthed in Zhengxiaozhuang tomb could
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Study of the paleochannel in the southeastern part of Pyongyang by using topographic and satellite image analysis: A possibility for successful survey of paleolithic site Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-11 Jun-Myong Jon, Yong-Il Jon, Il-Nam Kim, Il-Ryong Nam, Won-Hyok Ji, Ryong-Il Kang, Jun-Chol Kang
There are Quaternary paleochannels in the left bank of the lower reaches of the Taedong River in the southeastern side of Pyongyang. We aimed to determine the possibility to find Paleolithic sites by locating terraces and paleochannels using digital elevation models (DEM) and Landsat ETM+. The study on paleochannels focused on survey of terrace of the 80–100 m high, associated with the Paleolithic
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A feast: Indigenous production and interregional exchange reflected by the bronze vessels unearthed from Shuangyuan Village Cemetery in southwestern China Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-09-07 Xiaoting Wang, Yingdong Yang, Tianyou Wang, Wugan Luo
Surprising combinations of bronze vessels with multiple cultural elements have been unearthed in Shu tombs in southwestern China, indicating a significant connection with the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. However, there is currently no comprehensive evidence for the provenance of these foreign style vessels, and little emphasis has been given to the diachronic changes in the interaction
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Issue Information Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-08-17
No abstract is available for this article.
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Investigation and analysis of ancient brick carvings of the Liuhe Pagoda in Hangzhou Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-08-14 Xinxin Fang, Lina Xie, Bingjian Zhang, Jiajia Li, Weixiang Chen
The Liuhe Pagoda in Hangzhou, China, has a large number of brick carvings from the Southern Song Dynasty (1152 ce), covering an area of 464 m2. However, the exquisite brick carvings in the Liuhe Pagoda have deteriorated due to natural weathering and a high-humidity environment. Through laboratory analysis and on-site nondestructive testing, the physical and chemical properties of the brick carvings
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Application of computed tomography to the study of Mesolithic portable art: Results, interpretations and expectations—The case of an ornamented roe deer antler harpoon from Police, north-west Poland Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-07-23 Tomasz Płonka, Marcin Diakowski, Joanna Krupa-Kurzynowska, Viktoria Hoppe, Grzegorz Ziółkowski
The article describes the application of X-ray computed tomography to the recording and analysis of ornamentation on the Mesolithic harpoon found at Police in north-west Poland. The geometric ornament was divided into eight areas. Based on the tomographic data, a method of quantitative analysis of ornamentation was proposed. For lines selected in individual areas, three profiles were determined for
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New visualization method for cranial carvings of Rapanui wooden figurines Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-07-23 Rafal Wieczorek, Paul Horley
Precontact culture of Easter Island (Rapa Nui) produced wooden figurines carved with attention to detail and featuring careful surface polishing. These figurines depict humans and akuaku spirits. Male figurines usually have bald heads adorned with elaborate designs carved in low relief, depicting human beings, fishes, birds, chimerical creatures, or material objects of Rapanui culture. As cranial carvings
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Early mediaeval lead glass bangles from Czermno, Poland: Results of elemental and lead isotopes analyses Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-07-22 Sylwia Wajda, Stephen W. Merkel, Iwona Florkiewicz, Moritz Jansen, Beata Marciniak-Maliszewska, Barbara Wagner, Marcin Wołoszyn
This paper presents the results from analysis of thirty 12th to 13th century glass bangles from Czermno, eastern Poland. Study of the primary glass composition was carried out by laser ablation ICP-MS and electron probe microanalysis. Lead isotope analyses were conducted to determine the origin of the glass's main raw material. Two types of lead glass were distinguished, high-lead glass and Slavic
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Reflections into Ptolemaic Glass II: Characterizing Yellow, Yellowish-orange, Red, and Brown Inlays from Tebtynis Archaeometry (IF 1.6) Pub Date : 2023-07-22 Cinzia Bettineschi, Ivana Angelini
A systematic and extensive analytical study was carried out on the loose inlays discovered in the Ptolemaic workshop of Tebtynis (Fayum oasis, Egypt). This paper presents data derived from the multi-methodological archaeometric investigations (optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive spectroscopy, electron probe microanalysis, micro-Raman spectroscopy) performed on a set of