Chemical evidence for wine production around 4000 BCE in the Late Chalcolithic Near Eastern highlands

Archaeological excavations in the Areni-1 cave complex in southeastern Armenia revealed installations and artifacts dating to around 4000 cal. BCE that are strongly indicative of wine production. Chemical evidence for this hypothesis is presented here using a new method to detect the anthocyanin malvidin that gives grapes and pomegranates their red color. Using solid phase extraction (SPE) and alkaline treatment of the samples, followed by combined liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), this method was applied to authentic standards and four ancient potsherds from Armenia and Syria. A positive result was observed for two of the samples from the Areni-1 cave complex, adding evidence supporting the hypothesis that wine was produced in the Near Eastern highlands in the Late Chalcolithic Period.     

The Volterran Urns: Etruscan Painting and Travertine Supply

The artistic evolution of the Volterran cinerary urns is a good representation of Etruscan painting from the fourth to the first century bc . The interest generated by this type of object directed our research towards the study of the Volterran artefacts, including the analysis of the pigments as well as that of the rocks used for the coffers. The entire colour range shown by the painted urns has been sampled and investigated through Raman microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Rock samples were taken both from the urns and from outcrops in ancient carbonate rock quarries near Volterra, from where they may potentially have been sourced. A set of 30 samples was collected and submitted to stable carbon and oxygen isotope analyses. The results obtained showed that the pigments used for the decoration of the Volterran urns were basically constituted by red ochre, Egyptian blue, carbon black and gypsum. The identification of lead‐based pigments and barium sulphates further informed us about old restorations undergone by several urns. As far as the provenance issue is concerned, the isotopic data indicate that the rocks used for the four urns were favourably comparable to those outcropping at Pignano, while two other urns were more similar to those sampled along the Elsa River at Colle Val d'Elsa.     

Mapping prehistoric social fields on the Sepik coast of Papua New Guinea: ceramic compositional analysis using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

The Sepik coast of northern Papua New Guinea is one of the most linguistically diverse places on earth despite communities there currently being connected into wide-reaching social and economic networks that cross language boundaries. One possible explanation for observed human diversity is that social connections were substantially less intensive prior to colonial pacification. As a proxy for human interaction, we compositionally analyzed 287 ceramic sherds from archaeological contexts using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to determine their place of production. Our results indicate that ceramics produced on Tumleo Island—currently the most important regional ceramic producer—were transported to other places on the Sepik coast after ∼1000 BP, suggesting that linguistic diversity on the coast has been maintained in an interactive environment for at least a millennium.     

Chemical analysis of 17th century Millefiori glasses excavated in the Monastery of Sta. Clara-a-Velha,Portugal: comparison with Venetian and façon-de-Venise production

A set of ten Millefiori glass fragments dating from the 17th century, originated from archaeological excavations carried out at the Monastery of Sta. Clara-a-Velha (Coimbra, Portugal), were characterized by X-ray electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), Raman microscopy and UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy. All glasses are of soda-lime-silica type. The use of coastal plant ash is suggested by the relatively high content of MgO, K₂O and P₂O₅, as well as by the presence of chlorine. Tin oxide or calcium antimonate were the opacifiers used in the opaque glasses, cobalt in the blue glasses, copper in the turquoise glasses, iron in the yellow and greenish glasses, and iron and copper were found in the opaque red and aventurine glasses. Based on the concentrations of alumina and silica four different sources of silica were identified, allowing the classification of the glasses into the following compositional groups: low alumina (<2 wt%), which includes a sub-group of cristallo samples with SiO₂ > 70 wt%, medium alumina (2–3 wt%), high alumina (3–6 wt%) and very high alumina (>6 wt%). Comparison with genuine Venetian and façon-de-Venise compositions showed that two fragments are of Venetian production, one of Venetian or Spanish production and the remaining are of unknown provenance. In two fragments the glass of the decoration is probably Venetian or Spanish but the glass used in the body is also of unknown provenance.     

山东临淄山王村俑坑出土陶质彩绘颜料初步分析

2008年5月山东临淄山王村俑坑出土了数量较多的彩绘陶质文物,为了了解彩绘颜料结构和成分,采用粉末偏光显微法、剖面观察结合拉曼光谱分析对彩绘文物表面颜料样品进行分析。结果表明,这批陶质文物表面彩绘是以白灰做地仗层,由碳酸钙、白土、铁黑（Fe₃O₄）、铁红（Fe₂O₃）、朱砂等颜料调和而成,且厚度不均。在个别样品中发现了少量的中国蓝颗粒(BaCuSi₄O₁₀),这是这次分析中较为重要的发现,此分析结果也可为考古研究提供科学信息。     

山东长清灵岩寺宋代罗汉像彩绘分析研究

山东省济南市长清区灵岩寺彩绘罗汉像是我国宋代泥塑罗汉的代表作,具有极高的历史、艺术和科学价值。但罗汉像保存现状较差,彩塑存在颜料脱落、残损、酥碱等病害,亟待保护修复。为此,本工作选取彩绘脱落严重的两尊宋代彩塑罗汉像,利用光学显微镜(OM)、拉曼光谱(Raman)、扫描电子显微镜与能谱仪(SEM-EDS)等分析其彩绘颜料样品。结果表明,彩绘罗汉像从塑制之初至今,经过数次彩绘,可确定的多达六次。黑色颜料为炭黑(C);红色颜料为朱砂(HgS),铅丹(Pb_3O_4),以及朱砂、铁红(Fe_2O_3)和方解石(CaCO_3)混合物;绿色颜料为巴黎绿(Cu(C_2H_3O_2)·3Cu(AsO_2)_2)和舍勒绿(Cu(AsO_2)_2),还发现有斜氯铜矿(CuCl(OH)_3)及其与铅白(2PbCO_3·Pb(OH)_2)的混合物;橙色颜料为铅铬黄(PbCrO_4)和铅丹混合物;蓝色颜料为蓝铜矿(2CuCO_3·Cu(OH)_2),人工合成群青(Na_3CaAl_3Si_3O_(12)S);白色颜料为铅白和方解石;黄色颜料为铁黄(FeO(OH));金色为金箔(Au);沥粉的主要成分是方解石。白色底层为铅白和以硅、铝、钙为主的细白土。彩塑罗汉像重绘过程中,保持了将细白土作为底层和衣领镶边沥粉贴金的传统。彩绘颜料所用铅铬黄、巴黎绿、舍勒绿表明,彩塑罗汉像最近一次彩绘在清末之际,与文献记载相符,且这些人工颜料应是西方舶来之物。本分析研究结果为灵岩寺罗汉像艺术史研究提供了丰富信息,同时为保护修复工作开展提供了可靠依据。     

几种罕见的黄铜钱币锈蚀产物的识别与形成原因探析

我国从明中期开始使用黄铜钱币,一直到清末。过去,对古代铸币的科学研究主要集中于合金成分分析和铸造工艺两方面,对锈蚀产物和锈蚀机理的研究主要针对青铜铸币。黄铜的合金元素中较青铜多锌元素,其腐蚀产物与腐蚀行为较青铜有一定的差别,也较青铜更为复杂,然而现有的文献关于此方面的研究匮乏,特别是对于大气保存环境下黄铜钱币的锈蚀产物及锈蚀成因的研究基本空白。本研究通过多种分析手段包括X射线荧光分析仪(XRF)、扫描电镜能谱仪(SEM-EDS)和显微激光拉曼光谱仪(Raman)对国家博物馆馆藏一批传世明清各时期的黄铜钱币合金组成,不同颜色的锈蚀产物等开展科学分析。研究结果表明,嘉靖、隆庆和万历年的黄铜铸币,为Cu+Sn+Pb+Zn四元合金,平均含量Cu 66.4%,Sn 6.8%,Pb 10.4%,Zn 15.6%,并含有微量Fe,不含As。泰昌、天启和崇祯年间及清代各时期的黄铜铸币,主要为Cu+Pb+Zn三元合金,并含有微量Fe、As和Sn。这批黄铜锈蚀产物与常见的青铜锈蚀产物不同,最典型的是钱币表面蓝绿色和白色锈蚀物,经Raman和SEM-EDS分析并结合相关文献初步确认蓝绿色锈蚀物为一种含铜、钠...     

新疆和田达玛沟佛寺遗址出土壁画颜料分析

达玛沟佛寺是新疆和田地区重要的佛教遗址,具有极高的佛教及艺术价值,对我国乃至东亚的佛教艺术都有着重要的影响。为研究新疆达玛沟佛寺遗址出土壁画颜料成分及工艺,以壁画文物残块为研究对象,利用体视显微镜、X荧光光谱仪、X射线衍射仪、拉曼光谱仪、偏光显微镜等多种仪器对其进行了分析鉴定。结果表明,达玛沟佛寺所使用的颜料全部为矿物颜料,其中蓝色颜料为青金石,绿色颜料为氯铜矿,白色颜料为石膏,红色颜料为朱砂,褐色颜料为铁红,赭黄色颜料为铁黄。该研究为探索中国西域佛教史、美术工艺史及后期修复保护材料、工艺选择提供科学依据。     

Multi-Isotope Investigations for Scientific Characterisation and Provenance Implication of Banded Travertines from Tripolis Antique City (Denizli–Turkey)

The coloured stones used in buildings and monuments were an indicator of power and wealth during the ancient times. In this study, Tripolis city samples have been compared with Tripolis quarry samples in order to recognise the provenance of the banded travertine blocks in the ancient city. The banded travertine samples have similar mineral compositions and mainly consist of calcite with minor amounts of dolomite, aragonite, clay and iron oxide minerals. These results are also supported by CRS studies. Calcite is in the form of needle-shaped crystals ranging between 0.163–1.418?mm (in city) and 0.303–1.270?mm (in quarry). Tripolis banded travertine samples show the similar compositional spread in terms of major oxide, trace elements. δ¹³C_V-PDB values of banded travertines range from 1.93 to 5.25‰ (in city) and 2.99 to 3.99‰ (in quarry), δ¹⁸O_V-PDB values change between (?16.93)–(?10.08) ‰ and (?15.93)–(?13.01)‰, respectively. The U–Th radiometric ages are determined between ～267 and 9?ka in Tripolis city samples and ～350 and 2?ka in Tripolis quarry samples. The minero-petrographic, geochemical, C–O and U–Th isotope results fairly matched with each other. It seems highly probable that the banded travertines in Tripolis city were extracted from the Tripolis quarry, which is located at the northeast of the antique city with a distance of 3?km.     

A preliminary study on the photo - degradation of printing pigments on banknotes issued during the period of the Republic of China北大核心

为了初步评价光照对民国纸币的影响,为博物馆纸币文物的展陈照明和保存提供建议,本研究选取了八枚纸币分别进行LED灯和自然光老化实验,并通过拉曼光谱仪和X射线荧光光谱仪确定了纸币样品颜料的主要成分——合成有机颜料红49:1、普鲁士蓝、铬酸铅和炭黑。通过老化前后的色差分析可知,纸币红色颜料变化最大,其他颜色变化相对较小。因此,对于民国纸币类文物,尤其是含有红色合成有机颜料的纸币文物,需要控制其光照条件以防止老化变色。