Lead isotope and chemical signature of copper from Oman and its occurrence in Mesopotamia and sites on the Arabian Gulf coast

Lead isotope data, together with an evaluation of previously published results for the chemical composition of Omani ores and copper‐base artefacts are used to define a material signature of Omani copper. Absent from our group of Bronze Age metal (Umm an Nar and Wadi Suq periods) are the signature of ores from Masirah Island and also from the vast deposits in north Oman inland from Suhar. Contemporaneous copper from Bahrain and from Tell Abraq on the Gulf coast is consistent in its material signature with Omani copper; a derivation from Omani ores of this copper is highly likely. A few exceptions at Tell Abraq point to Faynan/Timna in the southern Levant as a possible source region. Among Mesopotamian artefacts the signature of Omani copper is encountered during all cultural periods from Uruk at the end of the fourth millennium BC to Akkadian 1000 years later. Oman/Magan appears to have been particularly important during Early Dynastic III and Akkadian when about half of the copper in circulation bears the Omani signature.     

Ancient ‘Black’ Decorative Stones and the Ephesian Origin of Sculptural bigio antico

Isotopic, EPR and petrographic studies aimed at establishing the provenance of sculptural bigio antico are reported, including 18 possible quarry sites and 21 ancient sculptures. The results demonstrate that the Belevi quarry, north‐east of Ephesos, above the more famous white marble quarry, was the major source of this marble. Nineteen artefacts belong to Belevi, whereas the precise origin of the remaining two is unknown, but must probably be found within the same area. The peculiar distribution of δ¹³C values both for Belevi and artefacts was crucial for inferring the correct provenance, subsequently confirmed by additional analytical and petrographic data.     

Roman Rhine settlement dynamics evidenced by coin distribution in a fluvial environment (Oedenburg,Upper Rhine,France)

On the basis of archaeological and alluvial records, this paper presents the first spatial analysis of artefacts in relation to the evolution of the Rhine River, at the Gallo-Roman site of Oedenburg, during the first four centuries AD. The dataset consisted of several thousand Roman artefacts found by pedestrian prospecting over the last twenty years, over half of which were coins. This dataset was used together with high-resolution topography and geomagnetic mapping, to reconstruct settlement evolution, both on the terrace and in the floodplain. A comprehensive monetary chart has been compiled for the Oedenburg site, which highlights four major phases of settlement. These results provide a possible causal link connecting historical factors and alluvial events with intra-site evolution. Therefore, while changes observed during Phases I (until AD 68), II (AD 69 to AD 180) and III (AD 180 to AD 295) seem largely related to historical and societal events, Phase IV (AD 295 to AD 402) shows patterns of abandonment of the lower part of the floodplain that may well be related to an unusually humid period in the fourth century. These results are set in a broader context, from the Rhine catchment area to the Alps, and are in agreement with the wet conditions also documented in alluvial, lacustrine, geomorphological and palynological records in Germany (Lahn River, Lake Constance, Lake Nussbaumen, Kaisersthul area and the Black Forest). Studying the intra-site spatial distribution of artefacts with high temporal constraints, at a long-lived site with contrasted topography, opens new avenues for the detection of discreet events such as a higher water table, affecting only the lower zone.     

A study of the Roman iron bars of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône,France). A proposal for a comprehensive metallographic approach

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of the organisation of the manufacture and circulation of iron bars and the possible bar standardisation of a given set of artefacts in order to throw more light on commercial patterns during Antiquity. A set of 48 iron based metal bars originating from the Roman shipwrecks at Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer (France) has been studied using comprehensive metallographic observations, ranging from macroscopic to microscopic scales and slag inclusion (SI) analyses. A comparison of the results allows one to distinguish different metal qualities (inclusions, pores, welding, carbon content) that may be linked to morphological types, which shows the possible standardisation of this set of artefacts. Moreover, SI analyses allow distinguishing various origins for the Primary Pieces of Metal, thereby throwing light on a specific organisation of the iron bar production line during the late Roman period.     

THE BLACK INLAY DECORATION ON A MYCENAEAN BRONZE DAGGER*

The black inlay decoration with superb marine, hunting and other scenes on Mycenaean bronze daggers and silver cups has often been referred to in the literature as niello—a mixture of sulphides of copper, silver or lead—despite the absence of any systematic analysis of these precious metal artefacts. This paper presents semi-quantitative surface analyses of an example of black inlay on a Mycenaean dagger, now in the Archaeological Museum at Patras in Greece. Using non-destructive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, it has been established that, contrary to the traditionally-held view, the black inlay is a copper-gold alloy with some silver and possibly small amounts of tin.     

Analysis of faunal remains from the Kretuonas lake settlement

The Middle (Kretuonas 1B), Late Neolithic (Zemaitiške 1 and Zemaitiške 2) and Old Bronze Age (Kretuonas 1C) settlements near Kretuonas Lake (Svencioneliai district, Reskutenai village) yielded many artefacts of bone, antler, horn and teeth (750 in total). In the Kretuonas 1B assemblage, deer bones accounted for 50.5 per cent, elk bones 19.7 per cent and boar bones for 27.7 per cent of the total. In the Zemaitiške 1 and 2 settlements the respective portions were 27.7 and 62.0 per cent deer, 6.8 and 20.0 per cent elk and 10.1 per cent boar. In Kretuonas 1C the proportions were 10.9, 36.0 and 7.5 per cent respectively. In the Kretuonas 1B settlement 32 artefacts were identified, 16 from deer bone, four from elk and four from boar. In the Zemaitiške 2 settlement there were 114 artefacts of which 57 were identified to species. Of these, 39 were from deer, eight from elk and four from boar. Finally, in the Kretuonas 1C settlement, of the 531 artefacts found, 120 were identified to species and of these 49 were from deer, 44 from elk, nine from boar and nine from bear.     

First results of metallographic analysis and absolute dating of iron finds from Nowe Brzesko,site 26, Proszowice District

This paper presents the results of analyses of metal artefacts discovered at a multiphase site in Nowe Brzesko, Małopolskie Voivodeship, Poland. Fieldwalking prospection led to the discovery of steely iron objects, ploughed out on the site among other numerous archeological finds. A prospecting sondage yielded more corroded metal artefacts, identified mainly as agricultural tools (e.g. sickles, scythes). These chronologically nondistinctive artefacts could be assigned to the third to fourth century AD using radiocarbon dating, complemented by metallurgical analysis. The results open up new research perspectives on the economy and society of the Przeworsk culture in the Late Roman period.     

Technical Studies on the Bronze Age Metal Artefacts from the Graveyard of Deh Dumen,South‐Western Iran (Third Millennium BC)

During the excavations of the graveyard at the site of Deh Dumen in south‐western Iran, 15 graves from the Early/Middle Bronze Age were uncovered that contained a variety of metallic artefacts. This paper reports on the analysis of nine metal artefacts, including eight broken vessels and a decorative strip that covered the handle of a dagger. The ICP–MS results showed that the bodies of the vessels are made of tin bronze alloy with variable amounts of tin, while the internal piece of the base of one vessel is made from an arsenical copper alloy. Further, the metallic strip is a thin sheet manufactured with partially pure silver. Microanalytical and microstructural information yielded by SEM–EDS revealed elongated Cu–S inclusions and lead globules as various phases formed in bronze solid solution. This study presents some information about the transition from arsenical copper to bronze metallurgy in the third millennium bc in south‐western Iran.     

THE CIRCULAR MATRIX FROM THE ROBINSON COLLECTION

Summary. The bronze matrix, now in the collection of the Fogg Art Museum, is said to have been found in southern Thessaly close to Larissa Kremaste. As comparanda for the Scylla on the matrix the silver gilt plaque from the third century BC necropolis of Dyrrhachion in Illyria is discussed, as well as the matrix in the Antikensammlungen of Berlin and silver plaques decorating a belt from a late-fourth-century BC grave at Laos, Lucania. Discussing the Thetis emblem on the other side of the matrix the author analyses the motive in Classical art of the fifth/fourth century BC, paying special attention to the stamped fourth-century BC gold and silver plaques with similar design coming from the Cimmerian Bosporus, Thessaly and Macedonia. Conclusions are drawn about the authenticity of the matrix in the Fogg Art Museum, and the close interconnections between toreutic centres in the late fourth century BC.     

METALWORKING TECHNIQUES ON THE EURASIAN STEPPES IN THE LATE BRONZE AGE: TECHNICAL ANALYSES OF THE BORODINO TREASURE SPEARHEADS

The Late Bronze Age is a period characterized by chariots and riders, spearheads, bows and battle axes. Such are the assemblages of grave goods attributed to the Seima‐Turbino, Timber‐grave, Abashevo, Sintashta, Pokrovsk and other cultures of the Eurasian forest‐steppe and steppe belt. Although hoard deposits are comparatively rare in this context, this category of finds has also provided some extraordinary examples of metalwork. This paper reports on the analysis of three such artefacts, namely the gold‐ornamented silver‐alloy spearheads from the ‘treasure’ recovered near Borodino in Ukraine at the beginning of the twentieth century. The high‐ resolution technological study of these items presented here includes experimental research to produce similar decorative patterns and a comparison of the resulting traces and imprints with the original archaeological artefacts. The results help to identify use‐wear traces and reveal new information about casting and crafting techniques, tool sets and individual technical styles. Although the spearheads share some basic decorative features such as a gold plate attached to the silver, variations in the tools used and the technical repertoire – chasing, punching, and cutting – suggest that the spearheads were decorated by different hands. The study inevitably leaves many questions about the ‘life history’ for these objects unanswered, but takes the first steps towards a more complete understanding of this remarkable assemblage.     

Experimental Heating of Moravian Cherts and its Implication for Palaeolithic Chipped Stone Assemblages

The applicability of colour, magnetic susceptibility and remanent magnetization measurements for the identification of heated or accidentally burned Palaeolithic cherts from Moravia (Czech Republic) is tested in this study. We conclude that all these methods are usable. Colour changes are best detectable in materials heated at between 250–350°C, while magnetic susceptibility and remanent magnetization change at higher temperatures, closer to 600°C. This latter temperature, however, is usually destructive for cherts and is probably evidenced by accidentally burned artefacts. With the use of the three methods, we managed to identify three probably heated chert artefacts from two early Upper Palaeolithic assemblages from Moravia.     

New insights into the ancient silver production of the Wallis area, Switzerland

This paper discusses the results of a study of the exploitation history of the metallogenic region of the Wallis, Switzerland. Periods of exploitation in this mining district are determined by comparisons of the lead isotope fingerprint of the mines with those of dated artefacts presumed to have a local origin based on the style of craftsmanship. The approach is based on the study of silver mines in the Wallis area and illustrated by three examples of local craftsmanship: (1) silver jewellery from the Late Iron Age, (2) a reliquary shrine from the Early Middle Ages and (3) silver coins from the Late Middle Age.     

Frühe Fälle der "Verwendung" von Analogien in der altgriechischen Medizin

Analogy in ancient Greek medical texts may be either explicit or implicit. Greek physicians of the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. often used explicit analogy, e.g. when trying to explain unobservable processes within the body by comparing them to observable processes in common objects. Such explicit analogies served several purposes: illustration, exemplification, confirmation, or a combination thereof. - Other analogies are implicit, particularly those originating in metaphors, i. e. in language. While explicit analogies were intended to support only marginal details of medical doctrines, analogies implicit in metaphors occasionally became the nuclei of comprehensive and therapeutically important doctrines, particularly with reference to the crisis of a disease. - Explicit and implicit analogies occur already very early (Homer, eighth century B. C.) and with characteristics which make it possible to assess the specific function of analogy in Greek medical texts of the fifth and fourth centuries B.C.     

Attempts at thermoluminescence dating of fired materials from the Przeworsk Culture settlements

The thermoluminescence (TL) dating method has a significant measurement error margin reaching almost 10%. Due to this fact it could be considered as little effective in case of such sites from the Roman period as burial grounds with many artefacts useful for archaeological dating. However, for many settlements from this period, where pottery is the only kind of artefacts, the TL method can give notable results. The main purpose of the study was to make an attempt at TL dating of pottery and clay daub samples from the Nieszawa Kolonia and Kręcieszki sites and to compare the obtained dates with the results of archaeological dating of selected features from the Przeworsk Culture settlements. In the Kręcieszki site the fragments of burnt clay daub were dated by the TL method for the first time in the Lublin laboratory. It turned out that clay daub is an equally good dating material as pottery. It can be found that the TL dating of pottery from Nieszawa Kolonia confirms two stages of settlement. The first settlement stage is related to the phases B2-B2/C1-C1a of the Roman period, i.e. from the beginning of the 2^nd to the beginning of the 3^rd century. The second group of TL dates corresponds to the phases C2D that is to the second stage of settlement, from the second half of the 3^rd century to the half of the 5^th century AD. The results of TL dating of pottery and clay daub in the Kręcieszki site are rather similar and correspond to the phase B1/B2 of the period of Roman influence, determined from pottery style, but can also indicate the phase B2/C1.     

南京报恩寺北宋地宫出土玻璃盏的保护技术研究

明代大报恩寺皇家建筑基址及北宋长干寺地宫的考古发掘是"2010年度十大考古新发现"之一,地宫出土的众多珍贵文物具有重大科学研究价值。本文以地宫内出土的一件编号为TN5的玻璃盏为保护研究对象,在前期分析研究的基础上,筛选了玻璃盏的黏接和灌注材料,并从表面清洗、碎片黏接以及裂缝灌注和修补三个方面,对玻璃盏实施了保护修复。修复后的玻璃盏基本保留了其原始形貌和负载的历史信息,取得了比较满意的效果。     

LEAD ISOTOPE AND TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSIS IN THE STUDY OF OVER A HUNDRED SOUTH INDIAN METAL ICONS*

Technical investigations were made on 130 South Indian statuary images and a few miscellaneous artefacts mostly sampled from the Government Museum, Madras, India, and from the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum, UK. Lead isotope investigations were attempted on 60 of these, and compositional analysis for 18 elements on 115, using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy; thus, for 40 objects both lead isotope and trace element analysis was done. From the isotopic and elemental framework, insights are obtained into some art-historical problems of images and artefacts of the Pre-Pallava, Pallava, Chola (i.e., Vijayalaya Chola), Later Chola (i.e., Chalukya-Chola and Later Pandya), Vijayanagara (and Early Nayaka) and Later Nayaka (and Maratha) dynasties, spanning the Early Christian era to the nineteenth century, along with a few other regional styles. Inferences are also made regarding provenance of the lead and the early use of zinc and brass in the early historic period (c. fourth century BC—fourth century AD).     

GOLD AND SILVER ALLOY COATINGS OVER COPPER: AN EXAMINATION OF SOME ARTEFACTS FROM ECUADOR AND COLOMBIA

An examination, by metallography, atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and electron probe microanalysis of some decorative metalwork and small items such as needles and fish-hooks from Ecuador and Colombia revealed that ‘fusion-gilding’ or ‘wash-gilding’ was employed in the manufacture of many artefacts. The coatings found included silver alloy coatings over copper and gold alloys over copper. The coatings are often themselves superficially enriched at the surface; they are thick, and completely different from the surfaces found on depletion gilded objects which are far more common in ancient Colombia. The evidence from Ecuador is piecemeal and a considerable number of additional analyses must be carried out to clarify the extent of use of this surface treatment technology.     

ON THE COMPOSITION AND PROVENANCE OF METAL ARTEFACTS FROM POLIOCHNI ON LEMNOS

Summary. The majority of the well-stratified Early Bronze Age metal objects from Poliochni, with the exclusion of one hoard find, was analyzed for their chemical and lead isotope composition. The results show that a major change occurred in the metal used at Poliochni during periods contemporary with Troy I and Troy II. Unalloyed or arsenical copper with relatively high lead contents during the earliest two periods 'azzurro' and 'verde' is gradually replaced and supplemented by tin bronze which, during period 'giallo', i.e., by the end of Troy II, becomes the dominant metal type. Lead isotope abundance ratios in the earlier artefacts are consistent with a derivation of the metal from regional ore sources but the trace element abundance pattern is not. Concurrent with the appearance of tin bronzes is an increase in the diversity of ore deposits exploited; for about one third of the artefacts from period 'giallo' there is as yet no matching ore source in all Anatolia and the Eastern Mediterranean. It is argued that the tin bronzes have been imported as such but that the lead isotope signature does not provide any direct clues to the origin of the tin.