Synchrotron radiation-based x-ray analysis of bronze artifacts from an Iron Age site in the Judean Hills

Seven bronze bangles from Tell en-Nasbeh, northern Judah, were investigated to understand the phase composition and manufacturing process of the artifacts, and possibly suggest a provenance for their origin. Synchrotron x-ray radiation diffraction (XRD) and fluorescence (XRF) were used in the analysis to avoid any destructive sampling and at the same time penetrate through the surface into the core metal. These techniques enabled us to determine that the bangles were not just tin bronze, but leaded tin bronze. Based on excavation reports, it is unlikely that the metal objects were manufactured locally at Tell en-Nasbeh; rather, preliminary XRD and XRF data point towards the neighboring region of Edom as their origin. Despite their political enmity during the Iron Age II, the data suggest that Judahite social demands for bronze may have fostered a strong economic relationship between these two polities.     

七面纪年镜(居摄至元兴)的真伪

见于著录的有汉居摄元年至元兴元年(公元6-105年)纪年铭文的7面铜镜,均有各种可疑之点,有的可能是在真镜上伪加铭文,有的镜与铭文皆可疑为伪作。由此可见,传世纪年镜的真伪需要深入研究,利用此种材料来推定年代更应慎重。     

浅释洛阳新获战国铜匜上的刻纹图案

1998年,洛阳市文物交流中心发现一件民间收藏的战国铜匜,其内壁錾刻有一组复杂、精美图案。铜匜内壁为“祭祖图”和“射礼图”,匜底为“冥府图”,构成了一幅完整的祭祀图画。     

The Use of Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) in Taphonomy: The Case of Middle Helladic Asine,Greece

The goal of this paper is to investigate whether multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), a multivariate statistical technique, is a useful dimensionality‐reduction tool in zooarchaeological and taphonomic studies. For this purpose, the focus is to detect and discuss traces of waste management. Animal bones from waste‐related contexts at the Bronze Age site Asine, Greece, are investigated. The data consist of bone fragments dating to the Middle Helladic from this site. Unidentified fragments were categorised in size classes, where possible. Information on taxa, skeletal parts and the presence or absence of several taphonomic markers is included in the data set. The MCA reveals several correlations of zooarchaeological interest. For example, the association between indeterminate fragments and calcined bone points to issues concerning identification and preservation. Floors are characterised by weathered long‐bone fragments from medium‐sized mammals. Additionally, the results of MCA indicate that the material might have suffered from density‐mediated attrition, based on the abundance of axial fragments, which did not differ between different contexts and taxa. The results show that MCA can be used to detect zooarchaeological and taphonomic patterns. This multivariate technique is useful when investigating large data sets, as is often the case with large zooarchaeological assemblages. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Better Shade of Black: Effects of Manufacturing Parameters on the Development of Ancient Black Bronzes*

Copper alloys with controlled contents of Sn, Ag and Au were treated with methods and solutions that mimic those used in ancient and traditional procedures for the production of black bronze. Examination of the resulting patinas with colorimetry, SEM–EDS, TEM, Raman spectroscopy and XRD revealed no systematic differences according to the fabrication method, whereas patina homogeneity and colour in those alloys that did not contain precious metal were affected by superficial work. Patina microstructure determines adherence and coverage, and depends upon the solution used irrespective of the alloy composition, but the colour of the patina is mainly related to the alloy composition. Gold promotes the development of cuprite, slowing the oxidation to tenorite in the corrosion process. Gold additions produce a more uniform patina as well as a desirable blue–black tone, which is likely to have been a factor in alloy selection.     

历表、系连与年代史料──关于西周年代学研究中若干方法的讨论

本文通过对西周年代学中若干重要问题的检讨,认为：以往依靠现代构拟历表、青铜器类型特征以及主观选取史料进行年代研究,在方法与逻辑上具有一定缺陷,并提出改进后的研究方案以解决相关的断代问题。     

山东平邑县南武城故城出土铜镜

1990年春,在山东省平邑县南武城故城附近发现汉、魏晋时期的墓葬三百余座,出土铜镜110面,据其主题纹饰特征分为13类。从中可以看出汉、魏晋时期铜镜制造业的发展水平。其流行的趋势,也反映了南武城地区手工制造业发达、经济繁荣的历史事实。     

Stable Lead Isotope Studies of Black Sea Anatolian Ore Sources and Related Bronze Age and Phrygian Artefacts from Nearby Archaeological Sites. Appendix: New Central Taurus Ore Data

The accumulated published database of stable lead isotope analyses of ore and slag specimens taken from Anatolian mining sites that parallel the Black Sea coast has been augmented with 22 additional analyses of such specimens carried out at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Multivariate statistical analysis has been used to divide this composite database into five separate ore source groups. Evidence that most of these ore sources were exploited for the production of metal artefacts during the Bronze Age and Phrygian Period has been obtained by statistically comparing to them the isotope ratios of 184 analysed artefacts from nine archaeological sites situated within a few hundred kilometres of these mining sites. Also, Appendix B contains 36 new isotope analyses of ore specimens from Central Taurus mining sites that are compatible with and augment the four Central Taurus Ore Source Groups defined in Yener et al. (1991).     

济南刘家庄商代青铜器

济南刘家庄出土的商代青铜器,时间为段墟化二期至四期,对于了解商王朝晚期的东进提供了新的史料。     

建鼓纹铜牌小考

鼓和钲是中国古代的乐器,也是军事战争时的鸣器。先秦时期攻战时就是利用击鼓槌钲作为军事指挥号令,“击鼓则进,槌钲则退。”小巧精致的带饰──建鼓纹铜牌,就生动的再现了这一古代战争场面。它对研究古代军事装备有一定参考价值。