A PILOT STUDY IN NON-CONTACT LASER PHOTOTHERMAL ARCHAEOMETRY OF ANCIENT STATUARY PEDESTAL STONES FROM CYPRUS

Several samples of geological stones from statuary pedestals found in various archaeological sites in Cyprus have been characterized using non-contact laser infrared photothermal radiometry. Thermal diffusivities and effective optical absorption coefficients were calculated using a one-dimensional thermal-wave model. The mean values and standard deviations were tabulated and comparisons were made with lithographic and petrographic studies of the samples. Good correlations were found, thus demonstrating that laser photothermal archaeometry is a promising methodology for the accurate, potentially non-destructive and convenient characterization of the origins of ancient stones in Cyprus and other geological and archaeological sites.     

PROVENANCE OF MEDIEVAL PIETRA OLLARE ARTEFACTS FOUND IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES OF CENTRAL–EASTERN ITALY: INSIGHTS INTO THE ALPINE SOAPSTONE TRADE*

Medieval archaeological findings made of pietra ollare (basic and ultrabasic metamorphic rocks belonging to the greenschist facies) and coming from central–eastern Italy have been characterized through a petrological study (modal mineralogy, whole‐rock geochemistry, XRD and SEM–EDS analyses). The pietra ollare artefacts considered in this work consist of fine‐grained, grey to pale‐grey, magnesite‐bearing talc‐schists (i.e., soapstones). In order to determine their production centres, Alpine soapstones quarried in ancient times were selected on the basis of their mineralogical and textural compatibility with the archaeological findings. The mineralogy and chemistry (major and trace elements) contributed to establishing the ancient quarries of the Valchiavenna (central Alps) as the probable provenance area. This archaeometric investigation proves that Alpine artefacts made of pietra ollare spread to the south of the Po Plain during the Middle Ages. It can be inferred that the Alpine soapstone trade towards the Marche and Abruzzo regions was addressed through the main waterways: Lake Como, the Adda and Po Rivers and finally the Adriatic Sea.     

A GEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE USE OF Pb ISOTOPES IN ARCHAEOMETRY

Lead isotope ratios in ore bodies and magmatic rocks depend in a complex way on several a priori independent parameters, including the geological age of the tectonic province in which the ores and magmas formed and its U/Pb (μ) and Th/U (κ) ratios, two very sensitive parameters characteristic of metal sources. All these parameters are entangled in hard‐to‐read Pb isotopic ratios. With respect to the commonly used fingerprinting techniques, which rely on the comparison of raw isotope ratios, the main motivation for the present work is to provide a method for making geologically and geochemically educated guesses about metal provenance even in the absence of isotopic data on reference ores. It shows how to unscramble a geological model age and μ and κ information from isotopic measurements. This approach brings to light a new organization of the Pb isotope database and an untapped wealth of information that can be used for provenance studies and other archaeometric purposes. We provide expressions with which to calculate these parameters and, using literature data, demonstrate how Pb isotopes in ores and magmas define clear zones in the silver‐rich provinces of the Central Andes. We further show how the geological model age and μ and κ values fingerprint production areas in 16th–18th century silver coins minted in Mexico and South America. Finally, we use Pb isotopes to illustrate how the Reconquista of the Emirate of Granada (1482–91) and the seizure of the Betic silver mines are reflected in the silver coins of the Catholic Monarchs.     

The Characterization of Biologically Available Strontium Isotope Ratios for the Study of Prehistoric Migration

Strontium isotope analysis of bone and tooth enamel from prehistoric human skeletons is an important new technique used to address questions regarding migration. Two problems arise in such investigations: (1) levels of strontium isotope ratios in local bedrock, soil, water, plants and animals are variable; and (2) a range of values in human bone and enamel data make it difficult to distinguish some migrants from locals. Analysis of the bones of small animals provides a robust measure of local strontium isotope ratios and a reliable, if conservative, means for determining confidence limits for distinguishing migrants. Data from various geographical areas are presented here in a discussion of variability in strontium isotope values. Examples are provided using modern and prehistoric materials. We conclude with the recommendation that studies involving strontium isotope analysis should incorporate small animal samples for comparative purposes whenever possible.     

Maize and Bone: Residues of Grinding in Northwestern Argentina*

Archaeometric and archaeobotanical analyses of grinding residues inside an archaeological milling stone tool from the Cueva de los Corrales 1 site in northwestern Argentina are shown. Multiple analytical techniques are used to identify ground substances, and their results are compared and complemented. They give direct and reliable evidence of maize (Zea mays L.) and burned bone grinding in the pre‐hispanic Argentine north‐west, although the latter is little related to milling tasks.     

EVALUATING CONTEMPORANEITY AND POST‐MORTEM AGE OF MALACOLOGICAL REMAINS USING SCLEROCHRONOLOGY AND DENDROCHRONOLOGY*

Sclerochronology and dendrochronology are based on series of incremental skeletal and cambial growths that have been correctly aligned in time via cross‐dating (i.e., incremental dating through synchronization of the growth variability on a visual and statistical basis). Here we report a study of the shell increments of two anthropogenic death assemblages of freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) originating from Finnish Lapland. First, we cross‐dated a new sclerochronology from an assemblage of river pearl mussel shells with unknown post‐mortem age. Second, this chronology was cross‐dated with the previously published sclerochronology of the same species and geographical source. Third, the composite of the two sclerochronologies was compared to dendrochronologies from Lapland. Temporal association of the two types of chronologies was markedly high, as confirmed by t‐values of 7.1 and 8.9, which are well above the acceptable limit of 3.5. Our study demonstrates the potential of sclerochronological and dendrochronological materials and techniques in assessing the contemporaneity (i.e., temporal overlap) and post‐mortem age of archaeomalacological deposits. In the palaeontological context, these results also show the wider possibility of dating shells with a large number of annual increments from natural deposits.     

TIME‐OF‐FLIGHT NEUTRON DIFFRACTION CHARACTERIZATION OF CERAMIC FINDINGS FROM SOUTHERN AND WESTERN SICILY*

We present the results of a study that is part of a wider research programme regarding knowledge of the initial living phases of Sicilian agricultural and pastoral society. Three sets of ceramic samples were analysed through time‐of‐flight neutron diffraction (TOF‐ND) to derive information about the composition of the clay and the manufacturing techniques. The first two sets of sherds came from an excavation in Licata, close to Agrigento, and are composed of findings dated around the third century bc , while the third set was of samples from prehistoric sites located in the northwestern part of Sicily. Measurements were performed to obtain a quantitative identification of the mineralogical composition of the samples in a totally non‐destructive way. Hints about manufacturing techniques and firing temperatures are derived to provide information on provenance and production processes of the objects.     

ACKNOWLEDGING FIFTY YEARS OF NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS IN ARCHAEOLOGY

Neutron activation analysis has been an important analytical technique for chemical characterization studies of archaeological materials since 1957, and remains one of the best analytical approaches for bulk chemical characterization of archaeological ceramics and other materials. This paper introduces a series of reports that document the history of NAA applied to archaeological materials.     

NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL MATERIALS: AN OVERVIEW OF THE ITN NAA LABORATORY,PORTUGAL

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) has been applied to archaeological samples at the Portuguese Research Reactor (RPI) since 1973, and the number of samples analysed has increased steadily since the mid‐1990s. Archaeometric applications of INAA at RPI include the analysis of archaeological ceramics and the stones used in monumental architecture (menhirs) and other historical monuments. A programme of analysis also exists for measuring the precision of and contributing to the certified values of geochemical reference samples. In addition, the study of interference factors is performed to obtain better accuracy in the determination of concentrations of some elements (e.g., corrections for spectral interferences from uranium fission products in the determination of barium, rare earth elements and zirconium).     

BUILDING A BRIDGE TO THE PAST: ARCHAEOMETRY AT THE IPEN REACTOR

Neutron activation analysis has contributed to research in Peru in different scientific fields, particularly in archaeometry. In archaeometry, applications include the characterization of copper alloy artefacts from the tomb of El Señor de Sican to determine production methods, ceramics from the Wari Culture to study production, and distribution of Middle Horizon pottery in Cuzco, ceramics from Villa El Salvador to determine production groups, and obsidian source analysis.