X-RAY FLUORESCENCE AND DENSITY MEASUREMENTS ON SURFACE-TREATED ROMAN SILVER COINS*

Some 630 Roman silver coins excavated at Augusta Raurica (Switzerland) have been analysed by non-destructive X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, the density and the weight have been determined. The measured average density of plated and massive depletion-silvered coins is lower than the density calculated from the chemical composition, whereas massive coins display equal values for both of the densities. Based on experimental X-ray investigations of modern silver (tempering, acid treatment, production of corrosion layers), the nature of corrosion products on silver, their impact on surface analysis, and aspects of wearing-off by circulation are briefly discussed.     

The Odyssey Case: press,public opinion and future policy

The Odyssey Case refers to the dispute between Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc. (OME) and the Kingdom of Spain in the US courts to determine the ownership of more than 500,000 coins, as well as other artefacts, that OME recovered from a wreck‐site it had code‐named Black Swan. However, the process was much more than a dispute over the coins. It reflected many of the components involved in the protection of underwater archaeological heritage, especially when economic and political interests are at stake. Written from the perspective of an archaeologist working for the regional authority responsible for developing archaeological policy, this paper tries to assess the case's impact on future policy development.     

RADIOCARBON DATING OF KILL SITES

Age determinations of kill sites, where charcoal is generally absent, has usually depended on radiocarbon analyses of bone material. However, it has been seen with known-age samples that these dates are often in error due to contamination by plant products or ground water carbonates. The use of soil samples from strata both above and below, as well as the level containing the artifacts, offers important advantages. The soil profiles present sequences of dates, whereas the bones are only individual samples. The distribution of the soil date values can indicate upper and lower limits for the age of the kill site. The Taima-taima paleo-indian site in the state of Falcón, Venezuela is presented as an illustration of the application of radiocarbon dating of soil to archaeological problems. A total of 22 samples were processed. It is seen that soils from two profiles indicate a dating of 13 000 years for the kill. Taking into account reasonable extents of error, uncertainties of ± 2000 years can be estimated. The non-carbonate fraction dates are in agreement with the earth samples, but this is probably due to the organic matter extracted from these materials being mostly soil contamination in the porous bone matrix. Fluorine measurements on the bones confirm the Pleistocene origin.     

MULTICOIN: A TOOL FOR CLASSIFYING COINS IN A MULTIMEDIA ENVIRONMENT

Classifying coins found during excavation is a challenging task for the archaeologist. This paper describes a multimedia system designed to assist the archaeologist by enabling him either to classify coins based on a pre-existing catalogue or to draw up his own catalogue for specific purposes. The system can also be used to train novices in the field: following an initial screening, the archaeologist only has to examine coins specifically requiring his expertise. A case study uses coins minted in Salerno 800–1200 AD, but the system has been designed to classify any set of coins by simply changing the underlying knowledge base. Very little training is required to operate the user-friendly system, which runs on multimedia PCs, as it is written using the C++ language and makes full use of the advanced features of Windows 3.11.     

NON-DESTRUCTIVE RADIOISOTOPE X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS OF OLD SILVER COINS

The paper presents the results of a feasibility study of the application of X-ray fluorescence analysis to nondestructive analysis of coins. Radioisotope sources ⁵⁵Fe, ²⁴¹Am, ¹⁰⁹Cd and ²³⁸Pu were used for excitation and a Si/Li detector with a multichannel analyser for the measurement of characteristic X-ray lines. Silver and copper in Polish renaissance coins have been analysed. Analysis using Ag K and Ag L lines allows one to distinguish between blanched and unblanched coins. The accuracy of the silver determination using Ag K X-rays is claimed to be ± 0.5% Ag for homogenous coins and ± 1.0% Ag for blanched but well-preserved uncorroded coins.     

从满城汉墓探寻赤仄五铢钱

赤仄五铢钱是西汉武帝时期铸造的五铢钱之一种。根据《史记》和《汉书》的记载,武帝时期铸造了郡国五铢、赤仄五铢和上林三官五铢三种。元狩五年(公元前118年)铸郡国五铢,元鼎三年(公元前114年)铸赤仄五铢,次年废郡国、赤仄五铢钱,专铸上林三官五铢。因此这三种五铢钱...     

ROMAN COINS FROM MERV, TURKMENISTAN

Excavation and surface survey at the site of ancient Merv, Turkmenistan has led to the recovery of a large number of coins, including a small number of Late Roman and Byzantine pieces. These coins are listed, and placed in the wider context of Roman coin finds far beyond the boundaries of the Roman Empire. The implications for east-west relations at this period are discussed.     

A Study on the Xiwang Shanggong Coins Unearthed at the Jiangkou Site in Pengshan,Sichuan

An archaeological excavation was jointly conducted by organizations including the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute in the first half of 2017 in the Jiangkou stretch of the Minjiang River in Pengshan District, Meizhou, Sichuan Province, where more than two hundred gold and silver xiwang shanggong coins were unearthed. This was the first time that the existence of xiwang shanggong coins was proved by a systematic archaeological excavation, providing a scientific basis for solving the long-standing unresolved historical problem. By sorting out the academic history of xiwang shanggong coins, this paper points out that in the past seven years, these coins have experienced the transition from being dug by robbers to being excavated scientifically, and have turned from a hot topic in collection to one in academia. This paper summarizes the characteristics of these gold and silver coins and presents an idea that those coins may have never been officially issued. Some of the coins have residual traces of being burnt, which may provide physical proof to prove the event in historical records that the fleet of Zhang Xianzhong was burnt by the army of Yang Zhan in the early Qing Dynasty. By using these unearthed xiwang shanggong coins as the standard and comparing them with some of the handed-down counterparts, this paper makes an in-depth analysis on the authenticity of the handed-down coins and indicates that some of the gold and silver ones may be authentic while some copper ones may be counterfeit.     

THE REMANENT MAGNETIZATION OF ANCIENT STRUCK COINS

Magnetic and other measurements are reported for the Guehenno II Gallo-Roman hoard (56-France) which, amongst several thousand Tetricus antoniniani, contains 275 coins struck with the same dies. The orientation of the remanent magnetization is systematically directed outwards from the obverse confirming the identity of the anvil die with the obverse. The magnetization vector is statistically distributed around the vertical axis giving no indication of the geomagnetic inclination at the time of striking. Consequently ancient struck coins cannot be used for dating. The origin of the remanent magnetization was also investigated.     

CHARACTERIZATION AND THERMOLUMINESCENCE DATING OF PREHISTORIC POTTERY SHERDS FROM MILENA

This paper reports the results obtained applying absolute dating methodologies and mineralogical, petrographical and micropalaeontological characterization techniques to prehistoric pottery sherds varying in age from the Sicilian Middle Neolithic to Bronze Age. All samples came from the archaeological area of Milena (Caltanissetta, Sicily); those of the Bronze Age were found on a site with a precise stratigraphic succession. The investigation has contributed to the determination of an absolute chronology for the Milena prehistoric period. The data provide, for the first time in Sicily, absolute dates covering a wide spectrum of cultures following one another in the same area and, for the Bronze Age site, correlated to the precise stratigraphic succession. The petrographical and mineralogical analyses allowed not only the identification of the principal constituents of the pottery, but also the formulation of some hypotheses regarding the specific manufacturing techniques of different epochs. The microfacies, obtained from the presence of fossils in the groundmass of the pottery, were also analysed and compared with the microfauna present in the Miocene clays outcropping in the area. The data identified local Messinian clay as the raw material probably used in the manufacture of the pottery and also support the presence, already assumed by archaeologists, of imported Mycenaean pottery, thus supporting the dates obtained on pottery taken from the same stratum.     

STATISTICAL ASPECTS OF POTTERY QUANTIFICATION FOR THE DATING OF SOME ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTEXTS*

This paper describes some statistical analyses of a particular archaeological material (pottery) originating at some sites in the city of Tours. An important part of the archaeological study of pottery is the comparison of ceramic assemblages to establish the absolute dates of contexts. In this paper, a statistical model is built to assess this comparison. The statistical procedure uses classical tools (correspondence analysis, linear regression and resampling methods) in an iterative scheme. Archaeologists may find in the paper a useful set of known statistical methods, while statisticians can learn a method of ‘arranging’ well‐known techniques. No method is new, but their combination is characteristic of this application.     

双乳山汉墓与武帝铸币

双乳山汉墓资料完整,年代清楚,出土钱币对西汉五铢研究具有较好的分类意义.鉴于有的学者对该墓等级提出了质疑,本文根据发掘情况和文献记载,对墓主身份进行了进一步考订,对墓中出土的铜铸钱币进行了初步的分类研究.     

THE MOUNT BATTEN CELTIC COINS

Summary. This article is the second published instalment of a series of studies concerning the site of Mount Batten, Devon, a source of rich Iron-Age finds over the past 150 years. The subject of this study is the Celtic coins, and a review of the records concerning the finds is included, with the aim of establishing their precise nature and number. The intrinsic importance of the coins with regard to absolute and relative chronology is examined, and the significance of the collection is indicated by means of a comparison with similar material.     

PLASTER AND MORTAR RADIOCARBON DATING OF NABATEAN AND ISLAMIC STRUCTURES,SOUTH JORDAN*

The study aims to use lime mortars and plasters to radiocarbon date Nabatean and Islamic structures from Petra and Udruh, south Jordan. Fifteen samples from seven structures were characterized by thin‐section, scanning electron and cathodoluminescence microscopy. The lime binders of all the samples and the organic inclusions from nine samples were AMS radiocarbon dated. The dates and the historical data of the samples were compared with each other. The results showed an agreement between the radiocarbon dates of the lime binders and the organic inclusions and the historical data for most of the samples. The radiocarbon dates of the lime binders supported by the radiocarbon dates of the organic inclusions and the archaeological data were helpful in reconstructing a rather precise chronology of the studied structures.     

NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF ANCIENT BURMESE SILVER COINS WITH A LOW FLUX AMERICIUM/BERYLLIUM NEUTRON SOURCE

Nondestructive neutron activation analysis is by now a well-established technique for the analysis of ancient silver coins. The high activation cross-section of silver for thermal neutrons makes it possible to also use this method with the low neutron fluxes available from an isotopic neutron source. In this case due consideration must be given to minimize the self-shielding effect which is encountered with coins above a few tenths of a millimetre thickness. A simple method for the determination of the silver, copper and gold content in silver coins based on the self-shielding properties of silver alloys of different fineness is described. The method has been found to be useful for the quick routine assay of silver coins for the purpose of their classification. Seventeen ancient Burmese silver coins from three different cultural periods of Burma, and two British coins for comparison have been analyzed by this method.     

A STUDY OF THE SILVERING PROCESS OF THE GALLO‐ROMAN COINS FORGED DURING THE THIRD CENTURY AD*

We have observed by fast neutron activation analysis (FNAA) that the global composition of the official silver coins of the Gallic emperor Postumus is not the same as those from the contemporary unofficial mints. In order to explain this phenomenon, we have carried out a metallographic study of the artefacts. Then, we have re‐created the silvering process of unofficial coins in order to better understand the manufacturing process of silvering. The different steps of the replication process are explained in this paper.     

TL DATING OF BURNT LITHICS FROM BLOMBOS CAVE (SOUTH AFRICA): FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR THE ANTIQUITY OF MODERN HUMAN BEHAVIOUR*

This paper presents the first TL dates for burnt quartzites and silcretes from the Still Bay layers of Blombos Cave (South Africa). These layers contained engraved ochres and marine shell beads that could be an early manifestation of symbolic and thus ‘modern’ behaviour by the Middle Stone Age humans. The procedure devised to calculate the ages is presented in detail, particularly with regard to internal microdosimetry, because the problems faced in estimating the dose rates require an approach different from the one usually used on flints and sediments. A mean age of 74 ± 5 ka was obtained for five burnt lithics unearthed in the BBC M1 member of the Still Bay layers. This result is in good agreement with both ESR dates on teeth and OSL dates on sediment, and demonstrates the great antiquity of the archaeological remains discovered at Blombos Cave.     

QUANTITATIVE RESULTS OF XRF ANALYSIS OF ANCIENT COINS BY MONOCHROMATIC X-RAY EXCITATION

The analysis by XRF applied to old coins is improved by use of monochromatic X-ray excitation of variable energy. In addition the effects of relief and irregular shape are eliminated. A method of absolute quantitative analysis without any reference standard has been set up. Results of the analysis of 52 early Greek and 4 late Roman empire gold coins are reported.     

STUDY OF ANCIENT GREEK COPPER COINS FROM NIKOPOLIS (EPIRUS) AND THESSALONIKI (MACEDONIA)

Ancient copper coins from the Greek cities Nikopolis in Epirus and Thessaloniki in Macedonia, minted during Roman imperial times (31 BC to AD 268), were analysed non-destructively by proton induced X-ray emission, after removal of the patina. An intercompar-ison study using different analytical methods was also performed on five coins. Eleven elements were analysed quantitatively on all coins. Statistical analysis of the results was performed for their presentation in the form of dendrograms. Finally, the variations in the concentrations of some individual elements from emperor to emperor were examined.     

NEW CHRONOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR THE MIDDLE TO UPPER PALAEOLITHIC TRANSITION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA: NEW OPTICALLY STIMULATED LUMINESCENCE DATING RESULTS

We report new optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates from the Central European sites of K?lna, Stránská skála, Bohunice, Vedrovice V, Vedrovice Ia, Moravský Krumlov IV and Dzeravá skala, which date to the Middle–Upper Palaeolithic transition period. There are important unresolved questions surrounding the timing of archaeological events during this crucial period in European prehistory. Archaeological layers from this time period are at the limits of the ¹⁴C method and most of these sites lack good chronology. The results of this dating project suggest that some parts of the current chronological framework may need to be revised. Although in many cases our OSL results are broadly consistent with previous dates obtained by ¹⁴C, in other cases they reveal unexpected surprises. One OSL result from K?lna opens up the possibility that Neanderthals may have survived in this part of Europe past the 30 ka bp mark as has been argued for several Neanderthal sites in southern Europe. The large Szeletian assemblage recovered from Vedrovice V may be significantly older than previously thought, which undermines the idea that the Szeletian culture is exclusively an Early Upper Palaeolithic industry. More dating research is needed to confirm the more controversial results of this research.