Ceramic Production in the Kur River Basin (Fars,Iran) During the Middle to Late Second Millennium bce: A Geochemical and Technological Characterization

A total of 119 middle to late second millennium bce pottery samples from six sites in the Kur River Basin (Fars, Iran) were examined to characterize these ceramics and reconstruct their manufacturing technology and the origin of the primary materials. For this, a combined study of handheld XRF and thin‐section petrography was performed. The geochemical signatures of these ceramics were defined and interpreted in their archaeological and geological framework, resulting in the determination of different production processes and clay types used for four ceramic wares (Middle Elamite, Qaleh, Shogha and Taimuran) and the identification of possible outcrops used for Shogha–Taimuran production.     

Smalt production in the Ore Mountains: Characterization of samples related to the production of blue pigment in Bohemia

The study deals with the chemical composition of samples related to the production of a blue pigment/smalt. The samples examined come from the regions of Soví huť and Horní Blatná (north-west Bohemia) dating to the 16th and 17th centuries. These locations are often mentioned in relation to the discoverer of smalt production technology: Christopher Schürer. The aim of the study is to evaluate the chemical composition of samples from both localities as well as with respect to the ores occurring in the given regions. The samples can be divided into two basic groups. The first clearly represents smalt (potassium glass coloured with cobalt), while the second apparently constitutes the samples of the so-called ‘speiss’ (an aluminosilicate mass with metallic compounds). The analysis of the smalt confirmed the representation of minor elements bismuth and nickel (always) and uranium and molybdenum (rarely), which are found in Co ores from the Ore Mountains. The paper is the first to present the composition of actual blue pigment finds originating directly from the production sites, while the available literature has so far only reported the results of analyses of the pigments already used when referring to the Ore Mountains.     

Application of electron microprobe analysis to identify the origin of ancient pottery production from the Castillo de Huarmey,Peru

A vast amount of ceramics (among other grave goods) were recovered from Castillo de Huarmey, a Wari culture (650–1050 ce ) archaeological site on the north coast of Peru. In order to assess ceramic production area(s) and possible trade, political or cultural interactions with other regions, and to complement earlier petrographic analysis, electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) was conducted following a rarely used methodology in archaeology. The chemical composition of individual minerals in ceramics and sediments samples from the Huarmey Valley was obtained, focusing mainly on amphiboles, feldspars and pyroxenes. The results of the analyses clearly indicate that the majority of the ceramic analysed was made of raw material of local origin.     

CHARMed PyMca,Part I: A Protocol for Improved Inter‐laboratory Reproducibility in the Quantitative ED‐XRF Analysis of Copper Alloys

This paper describes a protocol for quantification of heritage copper alloys by energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy (ED‐XRF). The protocol, nicknamed CHARMed PyMca, is designed for users who wish to maximize inter‐laboratory reproducibility of quantitative ED‐XRF results for the wide range of copper alloys found in heritage materials. By maximizing reproducibility, this protocol should facilitate collaboration and allow the rigorous use of shared data and databases. The protocol uses free, open‐source, fundamental parameters software called PyMca. PyMca allows for a consistent and transparent application of the fundamental parameters approach independent of the ED‐XRF instrumentation used. The proposed protocol calls for calibration of standardless PyMca results against a set of certified reference materials designed specifically for use with heritage copper alloys, the so‐called copper CHARM set. Finally, this protocol calls for the calibration‐to‐standards to be carried out following a consistent strategy, including error modelling and the incorporation of a validation procedure. A reproducibility study was conducted using CHARMed PyMca and eight different ED‐XRF instruments of six different types. In comparison to a 2010 study conducted according to the same method, CHARMed PyMca showed a dramatic improvement in reproducibility and method sensitivity.     

济南运署街汉代铁工场遗址的相关问题探讨

为探讨济南运署街汉代铁工场遗址的性质和冶炼技术,应用X-射线荧光、X-射线衍射、热膨胀测温等方法,对遗址出土的部分遗物进行了相关分析。结合出土实物和测试结果,可以推断运署街遗址是汉代一处兼有冶炼和铸造的铁作坊。陶范、耐火砖、铁渣及矿石原料等冶铸遗物的分析指出,当时的矿石分选、加工、冶炼、铸造技术已经十分成熟,在一定程度上反映了汉代冶铁业的工艺水平。     

Microchemical and crystallographic analysis of human bones from Nasca,Peru. A possible method of direct dating of archaeological skeletal material

This paper provides two archaeometric equations obtained by crystal–chemical parameters for dating human bone samples from the archaeological site of Nasca, Peru. Based on radiocarbon dating, the burials span from 500 BC to AD 1000. Crystal–chemical modifications in bone hydroxylapatite over time were compared with a twentieth century skeleton from Italy. Chemical analysis was carried out by means of electron microprobe along a profile from the periosteal to the endosteal border of the midshaft of four human femurs. The results indicate that the Ca/P ratio is linearly correlated with time according to the equation t=7880.68Ca/P−12805.90 (r=0.97; r²=0.95). Bone apatite X-ray powder diffraction analysis showed a systematic increase in the (002) reflection intensity with time, according to the equation t=250.49h/a−1961.86 (r=0.98; r²=0.97). The two independent archaeometric equations permit good accuracy in dating osteoarchaeological remains from the south coast area of Peru. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

XRF obsidian analysis from Ayacucho Basin in Huamanga province,south-eastern Peru*

Obsidian was broadly used along the Andean Cordillera in South America. Particularly in Peru, its use can be traced to the earliest human occupations, continuously through pre-Columbian times to contemporary Andean agro-pastoralist societies. In order to distinguish the provenance of obsidians from Peru, this paper reports a new X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis on several obsidians obtained in surface collections of the Ayacucho region. The analysis and source determination were made by XRF on 52 specimens. The source assignments involved comparisons between the compositional data for the specimens and the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) XRF obsidian database for sources in Peru. After analysing the samples, obsidian sources were recognized and documented. All had small nodules not larger than about 4 cm. They were recovered from Ñahuinpuquio and Marcahuilca hill which belonged to the previously identified Puzolana source. Another identified source was the well-known Quispisisa, located 120 km south of the city of Ayacucho, and distributed through a vast region in central Peru. The results expand previous observations made on the obsidian provenance at Ayacucho Basin, as well as the extension of the Puzolana source between Yanama and Huarpa hills, south of Ayacucho city.     

登封南洼遗址出土的宋代玻璃饰品

2004—2006年,登封南洼遗址出土了风化严重的白色项链2004M18:1,发掘者认为是二里头阶段的白陶(高岭土)制品。为验证此出土文物的成分与制作年代,扫描电镜、XRF成分分析显示为铅基玻璃(PbO-Al2O3·K2O-SiO2)。2004M18出土人骨14C测年结果为北宋。又对该遗址有北宋纪年M26:2耳珰进行测试分析,结果显示亦为铅基玻璃(PbO-Al2O3·SiO2)。白色项链、耳珰的扫描电镜、XRF成分分析结果一致,与14C测年结果也基本吻合,故2004M18出土项链应该是北宋时期的。两座墓葬形制规模相对较小,但均随葬玻璃器皿。这从某种程度也说明了玻璃制品随着技术的成熟,其消费群体也开始扩大,玻璃制品消费日益大众化。这种铅基玻璃的出现比文献记载提前了400年左右。     

Obsidian types from Holocene sites around Lake Turkana,and other localities in northern Kenya

Obsidian has been widely used by early Holocene hunter-gatherers and succeeding Pastoral Neolithic peoples in northern Kenya. Here we report the results of over 2000 electron microprobe analyses of artifactual and non-artifactual obsidian from the greater Lake Turkana region. Of the 15 compositional types of obsidian observed, a preponderant type is widespread across the region from the Barrier in the south to Ileret in the north and east as far as Kargi. This obsidian is the principal type at Lowasera and most Pastoral Neolithic sites, including the Jarigole Pillar site and Dongodien (GaJi4). The source of this obsidian is not known, but based on its distribution the source may be located on the Barrier or in the Suguta Valley immediately to the south of Lake Turkana. Although there are several possible sources of local obsidian identified for minor types, in stark contrast to the central part of the Kenyan Rift, major sources of obsidian available for artifact manufacture are not known in the Lake Turkana region. The lack of obsidian from demonstrable Ethiopian Rift and central Kenyan Rift sources, and the absence of obsidian with compositions found at the Turkana area sites in assemblages in the central part of the Kenyan Rift suggests that the earlier Pastoral Neolithic peoples around Lake Turkana interacted with each other, but perhaps not as strongly with people farther south along the Rift Valley, even as herding practices were expanding to the southward into central Kenya.     

Analytical study of Roman and Arabic wall paintings in the Patio De Banderas of Reales Alcazares’ Palace using non-destructive XRD/XRF and complementary techniques

A portable XRD/XRF system and complementary laboratory techniques were employed to improve the knowledge of the procedures used to create Roman and Arabic wall paintings. Integrated physico-chemical investigations were conducted on fragments of artworks collected from the archaeological excavation of the Patio de Banderas in the Reales Alcazares’ Palace of Seville (Spain), and a comparative study on the pigments from both historical periods was performed. As a result, pigments such as vermilion, red ochre, yellow ochre, green earth, Egyptian blue, carbon and phosphor-based black pigments were detected in Roman samples; however, in the Arabic fragments, only haematite was observed. In addition, the size and shape of the particles of the wall paintings were studied with an XRD 2-dimensional detector and SEM-EDX.