Black Gloss Pottery: Production Sites and Technology in Northern Etruria,Part II: Gloss Technology

The present study aims to understand the reasons for the visual differences of black gloss pottery found in northern Etruria. The results obtained by conventional (scanning electron microscope, electron microprobe) and synchrotron (X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray absorption spectroscopy) techniques indicate that the thickness, porosity or chemical composition of the different types of gloss cannot be used as the principal distinguishing factor. The size of quartz or feldspar crystals may well be a critical factor responsible for the matt effect in some samples, while the range of mixtures of iron compounds indicated by XRD and XAS could be the reason for differences in colour and reflectivity. The Fe L‐edge XAS results in particular show that a correlation does exist between the oxidation state characteristics and the visual appearance. The Si, Fe and Al contents seem to further discriminate the different types of gloss that have differing visual appearances.     

CHARACTERIZATION OF CORAL RED SLIPS ON GREEK ATTIC POTTERY*

Samples of red and black gloss from Greek Attic pottery of the late sixth to fifth centuries bc were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM and FIB/STEM). The focus of the study was the chemical and microstructural characterization of the red gloss that was first produced during this period. Two groupings of red gloss were revealed. One red was found to be compositionally similar to the black glosses (labelled ‘LCM coral red’). The other red showed more significant chemical differences, such as higher calcium and magnesium, in comparison to the black (labelled ‘HCM coral red’). The existence of two chemically distinct reds—otherwise identical in colour and texture—suggests that there was more than one source of clay available to the Attic potters for producing red.     

LEAD ISOTOPE ANALYSES OF BRONZE AGE COPPER‐BASE ARTEFACTS FROM AL‐MIDAMMAN,YEMEN: TOWARDS THE IDENTIFICATION OF AN INDIGENOUS METAL PRODUCTION AND EXCHANGE SYSTEM IN THE SOUTHERN RED SEA REGION*

The results of the lead isotope analysis (LIA) of 15 copper‐base artefacts from the Bronze Age site of al‐Midamman, Yemen, are reported. The LIA data suggest the existence of an indigenous Bronze Age metal production and exchange system centred on the southern Red Sea region, distinct from those in neighbouring regions of Arabia and the Levant. These preliminary results are highly significant for the archaeology of the region, suggesting that local prehistoric copper extraction sites have thus far gone unrecorded, and highlighting the need for systematic archaeometallurgical fieldwork programmes in the countries surrounding the southern Red Sea.     

红色文化氛围、游客态度与拥护关系研究

探究红色旅游目的地红色文化氛围营造与游客态度和拥护的关系,对于体现红色旅游价值意义重大.本文依据思辨文化氛围、态度与拥护三者之间的关系构建概念模型,通过问卷工具在韶山抽样调查获得基础数据,采用结构方程模型进行验证分析.结果显示:第一,红色文化氛围对态度和拥护具有显著的正向影响;第二,态度在红色文化氛围与拥护的关系中起中介作用.本文认为,红色旅游目的地应注重文化氛围的营造,通过红色文化的感召力影响游客态度,实现游客拥护.     

NEW EVIDENCE FOR THE NATURE OF THE ATTIC BLACK GLOSS

New evidence is reported here using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and laser reflectance for the nature of the black glossy decoration layer present on the Attic black or red figure vases of the sixth to fourth century BC. The black layer, of total thickness about 20 μm, consists mainly of poly crystalline magnetite (Fe₃O₄) particles of dimensions from 0.2 μm down to extremely fine sizes embodied in an amorphous vitreous matrix. On the outer surface of the black paint we discovered for the first time a thin clear glassy film of approximate thickness 0.1 μm which is rich in Al and Fe and poor in Si. This film must be responsible for the characteristic sheen of the surface. This is verified with the reflection of laser light mostly in specular direction, a unique property compared with black paints of other areas and other periods.     

Conflicts in natural and cultural resource management: Archaeological site disturbances by seals and sea lions on California's Northern Channel Islands

Abstract

California's Channel Islands currently have around 150,000 breeding seals and sea lions (pinnipeds). Driven to near extinction by 20th-century exploitation, many pinniped populations have recovered dramatically under federal and state management and continue to expand in number and distribution. Some of these pinniped populations are damaging or destroying coastal archaeological sites as they establish new breeding and haul-out areas—places occupied between periods of foraging activity—on upland landforms. We use archaeological excavations from a prehistoric village on San Miguel Island to illustrate the adverse effects pinnipeds can have on archaeological sites. Estimates based on excavations at Otter Point suggest that in one year nearly 10,000 kg of shellfish remains, 840,000 animal bones, and 1700 formal artifacts were lost to erosion caused by the activities of seals and sea lions. Our study documents potential conflicts between natural and cultural resource management suggesting the need for collaborative efforts between archaeologists and biologists to balance the conservation of both resources.     

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN BLACK‐PATINATED COPPER ALLOYS*

This analytical study aims to investigate ancient Egyptian black‐patinated copper alloys. The study group was selected from the collections of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and from the Faculty of Archaeology Museum in Cairo University. Examination and analysis were undertaken using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy‐dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), X‐ray diffractometry (XRD), X‐ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The analysis results indicated that the black patina contained mainly tenorite (CuO). The study presents evidence of thermal patination and animal glue coating.     

DETECTING FORGERIES AMONG ANCIENT GOLD OBJECTS USING THE U,Th–4He DATING METHOD*

Forgeries of ancient gold objects are prevalent in almost every collection and some public exhibitions in the past have been exposed as containing forgeries to an embarrassing extent. This situation comes from the fact that it is sometimes impossible to unequivocally recognize forgeries based on their patina or manufacturing and decoration characteristics. We demonstrate that for 13 ancient gold objects the time of their last melting process can be estimated using the U,Th–⁴He dating technique. The extremely small quantities of radiogenic ⁴He found, due to the young age and small sample size, require the use of a specially designed ultrasensitive mass spectrometer. We show that the proposed method is a powerful, and the only, quantitative tool in archaeometry for discriminating between fake and genuine ancient gold objects.     

ANALYSING THE VINLAND MAP: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF A CRITICAL REVIEW*

In an attempt to validate the Vinland Map as a genuine15th century work, Garman Harbottle (2008 ) claims to review critically, and thereby discredit, the archaeometric research undertaken on the Map's ink by Walter McCrone (1974–1999) and Brown and Clark (2002 ). In this paper we outline and discuss the numerous arguments that are presented by Harbottle, all of which we find to be misleading or at best highly questionable.     

A WATER ABSORPTION ANALYSIS OF NABATEAN,NORTH AFRICAN AND OTHER CLAY LAMP FABRICS UNEARTHED AT THE RED SEA PORT OF ROMAN AILA (AQABA,JORDAN)*

A water absorption analysis was conducted on 103 clay lamp samples to determine whether the fabrics of this pottery type are porous. If so, this would lend further support to the long‐standing assumption that lamp makers coated their lighting vessels with slip—not just for decorative purposes, but as a means of preventing oil seepage of the fuel chamber. The samples were excavated at the Red Sea port of Roman Aila (modern Aqaba, Jordan) and belong to 10 different types originating from Arabia, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia and Gaul. The results of the experiment reveal that clay lamp fabrics are porous, and comparatively more so than a reference group of non‐lamp pottery from Pella (Jordan). Petrographic thin‐section analysis of select fabrics confirms the presence of pores, cracks and propagating veins indicative of thermal stress resulting from repeated lamp use. Meandering veins identified in a nozzle fragment were created by the diffusion of vapours, probably originating from the burning lamp oil itself. Ancient lamp makers understood that, given its direct exposure to the extreme temperature of the flame, the nozzle was particularly vulnerable to breakage as a result of thermal shock. A porous lamp fabric, however, helped limit crack propagation, allowing the nozzle and the lamp body to expand and contract to avoid breakage.