Optical spectroscopy as a rapid and low-cost tool for the first-line analysis of glass artefacts: a step-by-step plan for Roman green glass

Archaeometric research on glass artefacts is continuously evolving and is converging towards a multidisciplinary research domain where different types of techniques are applied depending on the questions asked and the circumstances involved. The technique described in this work is optical spectroscopy. The benefit of this technique being the possibility of building up a knowledge database for a large amount of material in a relatively short period of time and with a relatively limited budget. This is of particular interest for the investigation of extensive and/or unexplored glass collections where a first-line analysis of artefacts could facilitate the selection of material needing further and more detailed examination.     

Chemical characterisation and manufacturing technology of late Roman to early Byzantine glass from Beit Ras/Capitolias,Northern Jordan

The finding of considerable collections of glass artefacts, together with considerable lumps of glass chunks, fuel ash slag and kiln fragments related to glass processing strongly suggests a local secondary production (working) of glass at the Beit Ras/Capitolias archaeological site in northern Jordan from the late Roman to the early Byzantine period. The chemical analysis of ancient glasses can provide important information regarding the manufacturing technology of the glass made during a specific period. The aim of this study is to characterise the chemical and technological aspects of late Roman to early Byzantine glasses excavated from this main archaeological site. Furthermore, the present paper aims to provide incontrovertible evidence that this site must be considered as a major centre for the secondary production of glass during a period between the 3rd and the 6th centuries. For this purpose, a considerable group of raw glass chunks and vessel fragments of different colours and typologies were collected. The results of chemical analyses indicated that the glass did not show a clear difference in chemical composition between late Roman and early Byzantine times. All the glasses (artefacts and chunks) are of the soda-lime-silica type and correspond to the previously defined Levantine I glass group. The chemical composition of the glass chunks, identical to that of contemporary glass of the same colour, strongly suggests that these chunks were used for the manufacture of late Roman to early Byzantine glass at Beit Ras. The observation of technological features indicates that glass chunks were produced in massive tank furnaces in other primary production centres elsewhere, and were meant for local reworking. According to the microscopic examination, it can also be observed that mould-blowing was the main technique used for forming glass.     

Age attribution in domestic sheep by skeletal and dental maturation: A pilot study of available sources

The aim of the study was to assess the quality of the available evidence pertaining to the effects of sex and castration on the timing of skeletal and dental maturation in sheep. The initial premise was that our present knowldge of the effects of these factors is inadequate, and that currently available published sources and reference specimens are insufficient to allow confident interpretation of archaeological data. A literature survey was carried out, and adequately documented sheep skeletons in a number of major collections were recorded. The results show that the published evidence is contradictory and ambiguous, particularly with regard to the effects of castration, and that currently available reference material is mostly too diverse in origin and in quality of documentation to allow comparison of well-controlled samples. Some evidence was found to suggest that castration may delay epiphysial fusion during the second year, without delaying fusion of earlier- and later-fusing elements. Overall, it is concluded that much of the received wisdom on skeletal maturation in sheep is poorly founded and unreliable, and that tightly controlled test populations are needed if better data are to be obtained.