ABSTRACT Archaeological bone collagen is highly useful for radiocarbon (14C) dating and palaeodietary reconstruction. However, collagen preservation and carbon contamination are essential considerations when extracting collagen, becoming especially crucial close to the limit of the method (50,000 years before present = BP). Strong progress has been achieved in the past two decades by 14C and stable

ABSTRACT Crystallized salt can be extracted by boiling brine in pottery over fire. This technique was implemented in many ancient civilizations throughout the world and is used even today. We identified the raw materials and technological aspects of potteries used in salt workshops from the Early Classic period (AD 250–550) of Nueva Esperanza (Pacific coast of El Salvador) by subjecting 19 samples

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on the recovery of archaeological starch grains from building interiors at pre-Columbian Maya sites in southern Mexico. In an effort to render analytical protocols more effective, it examines the performance of chemical residue tests as prospective tools, proposes a customized extraction procedure for lime-plaster floors, and compares the efficacy of two mounting techniques

ABSTRACT Comparable to Drieu et al.’s viewpoint, we argue that it is possible to identify ancient Eurasian grape wine by current biomolecular methods, but only in conjunction with the relevant archaeological, archaeobotanical, and other natural and social scientific data. Additionally, we advocate an inductive–deductive working hypothesis model, which is appropriate for the “historical science” of

ABSTRACT Dental calculus (calcified dental plaque) is a cross-cultural biological matrix that is emerging as a critical source of information for anthropologists and oral health professionals. It contains a multitude of diverse biomolecules, providing information about an individual’s culture, diet, ancestry, and health. Most researchers who study archaeological dental calculus use genomic or proteomic

ABSTRACT Parchment is one of the most abundant resources in archives across the world and is a unique time-sensitive material through which centuries of livestock economies, trade and craft can be explored. We examine the impact of structural and chemical modifications during production to δ13C and δ15N values in the skin, particularly the removal of cutaneous keratins and lipids and the conversion

Brain tissue is ubiquitous in the archaeological record. Multiple, independent studies report the finding of black, resinous or shiny brain tissue, and Petrone et al. [2020 “Heat-induced Brain Vitr...

ABSTRACT Archaeological and historical research combined with material science help to understand the development of building material and construction technology of the Middle Ages. The natural sciences, especially mortar characterisation and scientific dating have allowed new insights into mechanical mortar mixing which has been introduced and used mainly in the early medieval period between AD 500

ABSTRACT An interdisciplinary and multi-institutional group of science and art conservation specialists has provided new insight into the painting materials used in the polychrome walls and wooden ceilings in four seventeenth century Spanish colonial churches of Nueva Vizcaya (Chihuahua, Mexico). A multi-analytical study of the decorative surfaces was performed in situ using spectroscopic approaches

ABSTRACT The paper discusses aspects of cooking pottery technology and operation through observations made in a series of experiments, utilizing the results of archaeological ceramic analysis in Neolithic northern Greece. The first stage of experiments focused on the experimental manufacture of three types of cooking pots, following the Neolithic techniques, from raw material processing to firing.

This work presents an exploratory investigation into the production of pre-colonial ceramics found on Trinidad through petrography and chemical analysis with XRF and ICP-OES. Four main petrofabric ...

ABSTRACT In this paper environmental, topographic and geological data of the Classical till Roman Times thriving city of Ancient Thouria situated in Messenia, SW Peloponnese, Greece are presented in context to their archaeological interpretation of the study area’s landscape and usage. Using environmental and geographic factors in collaboration with soil characterization, a preliminary spatial analysis

A series of pottery samples from the Iranian site Tol-e Kamin, ranging from pre-historical period to the New Elamite, were analyzed in order to study the geochemical variability of the pottery asse...

Pastoralism in Central Asia directed the utilization of natural resources, yet information on livestock management strategies remain scarce. Carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope analyses of dome...

Experimentation has always played an important role in archeology, in particular to create reference collections for use-wear studies. Different types of experiments can answer different questions;...

ABSTRACT A number of monosaccharides characteristic of plant gums were found in paint layers and preparation layers of samples of Maya mural paintings of 10 archaeological sites located in Campeche and Yucatan regions. This finding opens the question about the deliberate use of these organic polymers as additives for improving workability and mechanical properties in the preparation layer mortar and

ABSTRACT The Maya sites Balamkú, Calakmul, Becán, Chicanná, Xpuhil, Hormiguero, Muñeca, and Chactún are located in the south area of the Mexican State of Campeche, immerse in a tropical subhumid climate. Surrounded by jungle vegetation, these archeological sites preserve some of the best examples of sculptural elements from the pre-Classic (1800 b. C. – 250 a. C.) to the terminal Classic (1000 d. C

Chemical analysis of archaeological artefacts is used with increasing regularity to understand how wine was produced, traded, and consumed in the past and to shed light on its antiquity. Based both...

DNA-based characterisation of microbial communities can enable those interested in bone diagenesis to address questions relating to the complexity and diversity of said microbial communities. We ex...

ABSTRACT Reconstructing past anthropogenic influences on forest and woodland resources is an important tool to understand the development of present patterns of land use, and their long-term impacts. Past metallurgical activity undoubtedly consumed significant charcoal, exploiting forest resources for fuel at various stages of metal extraction and processing. This study aimed to quantify this fuel

ABSTRACT This research is performed on a selection of archaeological glass finds with corresponding soil samples, excavated on the site of the High Medieval castle Cucagna in Friuli/Northern Italy. In the frame of understanding medieval glass technology and the chemical–physical conditions that influenced the state of preservation of the glass finds, this study uses a multi-analytical line-up of methods

ABSTRACT Dental modifications, especially dental inlays, were one of the most characteristic biocultural traditions in Ancient Mesoamerica. The main objective of this brief report is to identify the raw material used to elaborate dental inlays in the archaeological site of Reynosa, located in the Southern Pacific Coast of Guatemala. The recent discovery of a massive burial, dated roughly in the Middle-Late

ABSTRACT A multi-analytical approach was used to characterize color remains from Xalla, a Teotihuacan palace complex (project Teotihuacan, Elite and Government. Excavations in Xalla led by Linda R. Manzanilla). Color samples were obtained from polished lithic instruments and pigment ores. Those samples were analyzed combining microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Our results coincide with previous

The International Symposium on Archaeometry (ISA) is a biennial meeting organized to promote the development and use of scientific techniques in order to extract archaeological and historical infor...

ABSTRACT T’hó –a Mayan city cited in historical documents – has been discovered and is now a topic in current archaeological discussions and research topics due to a joint UNAM and UADY research project. This project encompassed several steps, including the recording of material recovered from the city’s subsoil while monitoring urban infrastructure programs, as well as the study of historical documents

ABSTRACT Large-scale Lidar surveys have revitalized interest in regional settlement studies in the Maya Lowlands. Remotely identified features in Lidar imagery must be verified on the ground, with results of ground-truthing studies forming the basis of reliable, comparative databases for understanding ancient Maya land use and modification. The El Pilar Project integrates data generated by established

ABSTRACT Sb was frequently used as a raw material, both in ancient glass-making (as an opacifier and decolouriser) and metallurgy (either as an alloying element or as a pure metal). Despite this ubiquity, antimony production has only occasionally been studied and questions concerning its provenance are still not satisfactorily answered. This study evaluates the suitability of Sb isotope analysis for

ABSTRACT The amount of prehistoric metal items discovered in the Maltese archipelago during the BronzeAge very limited in number. The majority of the artifacts are traditionally considered Aegean imports from nearby Sicily. Nineteen objects, currently on display in the National Archaeological Museum of Valletta, and dated between the 17th and 12th century BCE, represent the main evidence of metalwork

ABSTRACT The collection Manuscripta Americana in Berlin consists of fragmented codices acquired by Alexander von Humboldt in Mexico. Some of these Humboldt Codices are published as hieroglyphic writings of the Aztecs in “Vues des Cordilleres et Monuments des Peuples indigènes de l’Amerique”. Starting from a special compilation of seven fragments on plate 36 in the “Atlas”, we investigated the corresponding

ABSTRACT In archaeological research about feeding modes of past societies, different interests and methodologies have been developed. In their search for knowledge about Mayan foods and cooking methods, scholars such as Herrera Flores and Götz [2014. “La alimentación de los antiguos mayas de la Península de Yucatán: Consideraciones sobre la identidad y la cuisine en la época prehispánica.” Estudios

ABSTRACT An analytical study is presented, aimed to determine the elemental composition of copper-based artefacts dated back from Copper Age to Early Iron Age (mid-fourth millennium to the VIIIth century B.C.), found on the Tyrrhenian side of the peninsula, corresponding to the Lazio region. The objects belong to different archaeological contexts and had various functions. They were analysed by the

ABSTRACT Cobalt was commonly used as a colourant in the Egyptian glass industries of the 18th dynasty, dark blue glass being a regular find at palatial and settlement sites, including Amarna and Malqata. The main source of cobalt ore used during this period has been identified in the Egyptian western desert, around the oases of Kharga and Dakhla. In order to better understand the chaîne opératoire

ABSTRACT The composition of lead inclusions in modern and ancient leaded tin bronzes was studied by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) in Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Lattice parameter of lead inclusions in all bronzes was smaller than the lattice parameter of pure lead. This determination indicates that lead inclusions in bronzes are nothing else but Pb–Sn solid

ABSTRACT Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, which enables the characterization of structures of a variety of materials whatever their crystallinity/amorphous state, is used in the present work to determine the provenance of two raw materials, namely marbles and cherts. Regarding marbles, the 13C NMR signal of the carbonate function contains information about both the Fe content in its area and

ABSTRACT Ancient monuments are puzzling from an evolutionary perspective. It is obvious that their construction would have been costly in terms of energy, but it is not clear how they would have enhanced reproductive success. In the late 1980s, Robert Dunnell proposed a solution to this conundrum. He argued that wasting energy on monuments and other forms of what he called “cultural elaboration” was

ABSTRACT The degree to which societies differ in dress, diet, laws, and language appears to be such an integral part of today's human experience that some researchers think of it as a hallmark of so-called “modern human behavior.” Yet it remains unclear to what extent the current pattern of relatively low within-region cultural variation paired with relatively high between-region cultural variation

ABSTRACT This contribution proposes an evaluation of lidar and radar data processing and its potential in revealing archaeological features within a level plain environment, the southern lowland of Verona (Italy), focusing on evidences dating back to the Bronze Age. Many archaeological sites in the research area, including some of the most outstanding settlements of Terramare Culture, were identified

ABSTRACT Twelve ‘Japanned’ metal trays from Greece and Turkey, dated in the 19th century, were subjected to macroscopic and microscopic examination (stereoscopy, metallography, scanning electron microscopy) as well as to XRF and SEM-EDX analysis. The trays represent two stylistic types made of wrought iron either tin-plated or protected with a primer. Two were manufactured by forging while the rest

ABSTRACT This work presents a complex metallographic examination of bronze, silver and golden artefacts from early medieval German (Gepid) cemeteries of the Hungarian Plain, focusing on the finds from Tiszapüspöki.A newly developed non-destructive X-ray diffraction method was applied on the artefacts for the first time, as a novel approach, for sampling-free residual stress measurements. Other techniques

ABSTRACT Ancient iron objects from early Iron Age archaeological sites are almost always severely corroded, which can severely limit the possibilities for their archaeometallurgical analysis. In this paper, a range of corroded iron objects from different sites and regions of the ancient Near East are investigated with the purpose of developing an integrated scientific approach to the investigation

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the analysis of a post-medieval assemblage of glass vessels and tableware, recovered from an Ottoman bathhouse in Kyparissia, SW Peloponnese, Greece. The chemical composition of the samples was estimated using SEM/EDS, whereas minor and trace elements were identified by qualitative XRF analysis. Raman spectroscopy was applied in order to examine the connectivity of the

ABSTRACT Six slags from Volubilis archaeological site roman period (II-III centuries AC) and Jabal Awam ancient mine have been examined for their mineral and chemical compositions by a multi-technique approach (Optical and metallographical microscopies, XRD, ICP-AES and XRF). Mineralogical analyses have emphasised the occurrence of iron oxi-hydroxide, quartz, pyroxene and calcite). The bulk chemical

ABSTRACT The study and reconstruction of ancient dietary habits has become a very significant topic in archaeological research. Most chemical analysis studies for diet at Greek sites are limited to prehistory, with very few examples of studies for the Classical period. This paper represents a pilot study of stable isotope analysis carried out on a group of 15 individuals selected among the population

ABSTRACT An important archaeometallurgical context dating to the Archaic period (700-480 BC) has been excavated at Thasos (Greece). In particular a pear-shaped metallurgical furnace was revealed while its fill and surrounding area was characterized by the abundant presence of slag, fragments of crucibles and furnace lining. Based on macroscopic examination and instrumental analysis it was shown that

ABSTRACT In this paper, I introduce the preliminary results of the archaeometrical investigation of fourth to fifth century AD harnesses of the Vor- und Frühgeschichte Museum in Berlin. The assemblage was originated from Hungary and included a pair of axe-shaped bronze/copper pendant from the bridle, covered with pressed, gilded silver plaque, as well as one piece of spoke-shaped horse bit with the

ABSTRACT Material tests were performed on a rediscovered Klimt-artwork “Trompetender Putto”. We performed studies on the red colored spots, mainly taken from non-restored parts. MIMOS II Fe-57 Mössbauer spectroscopy (novelty in art-pigment analysis) mainly reveals haematite and crystallized goethite in red colors. Electron microscopy can identify various layers of the original and overpainting of an

ABSTRACT Metallographic analyses were performed on several types of early medieval iron axes (hammers) and on a piece of a belt set, found in Hungary, using optical and SEM-EDS microscopes. The examinations were focusing on defining structural constituents, determining their distribution and grain size. Inclusions were also investigated. On the basis of the result traces and characteristics of different

The International Symposium on Archaeometry (ISA) is a biennial meeting organized to promote the development and use of scientific techniques in order to extract archaeological and historical information from the cultural heritage and the paleoenvironment. ISA is a unique symposium as it provides the only international forum for all activities in Archaeological Sciences, both individually and integrated

ABSTRACT The paper examines diachronically the technological knowledge and the level of copper metallurgy at Kastro Palaia, Volos, in Magnesia, examining various objects with dates from the Early Bronze Age through to the Early Christian era. Of the 70 objects that have been examined so far using pXRF, a small sample was selected for further metallographic and chemical analyses. In this way, the manufacturing

ABSTRACT This paper is a preliminary report on metallurgical activity detected in the Forum of the ancient city of Grumentum ( Basilicata, Italy). In the Late antique period, an area next to one of the most important temples of the square was turned into a metalworking structure, which has yielded a set of hearths, metallurgical remains, and some tools. The results of archaeometrical investigation

ABSTRACT This paper presents the petrographic analysis of cooking vessels (ollae) from the Pontine region, Central Italy, dated between the 4th and the 1st centuries BC. Cooking vessels of three surveys in different parts of the Pontine Plain and around Norba, in the Lepine foothills, are considered. The considered time-span covers the period in which the Pontine region became integrated in the Roman

ABSTRACT The 1995–1996 rescue excavation at the northern cemetery of Ancient Demetrias (Volos, Greece) unearthed a large number of clay figurines of the Hellenistic period (3rd - 2nd c. B.C.). The objects exhibit rich polychrome surfaces and represent well-known figurine types of women and children used as grave gifts. This paper aims to present the preliminary results of a new investigation on the

ABSTRACT The present study focuses on the analysis of four unique artefacts, originally recovered from a tomb complex of the Hellenistic period and now displayed at the New Pylos Archaeological Museum, Niokastro fortress of Pylos, Greece (since 2016). The items are rod-shaped, with a length between 5.5 and 14.6 cm and intricate decorative patterns. The rods were analysed following a multi-technique

ABSTRACT Hexagonal neo-formed crystallites have been observed in thin section of different medieval and post-medieval lead-glazed ceramics. Although they are clearly visible in thin section using plane polarized light, their plate shape makes them barely seen on the polished cross sections. Basal sections have never been found on the polished sections and only few transversal very thin sections could

ABSTRACT Artificial neural networks represent an alternative to traditional multivariate techniques, such as principal component and discriminant analysis, which rely on hypotheses regarding the normal distribution of the data and homoscedasticity. They also may be a powerful tool for multivariate modeling of systems that do not present linear correlation between variables, as well as to visualize

ABSTRACT An analytical study on the nave mural paintings of the church “The Nativity of the Virgin” of Rila monastery, Bulgaria, painted by Zahari Zograph was carried out. Vibrational spectroscopy was applied to identify the pigments and organic materials used in the mural paintings. To complement the spectral information, elemental composition of the samples was determined by SEM-EDX. The data showed