The contents of unusual cone-shaped vessels (cornets) from the Chalcolithic of the southern Levant

Cornets are cone-shaped ceramic vessels, characteristic of the Chalcolithic period (ca. 4700–3700 BC) in Israel and Jordan. Their contents and use are unknown. Gas chromatography with flame ionization and mass-selective detection, showed that extracts of cornets from five different sites with different related activities (domestic, habitation cave and a cultic complex) all contain the same assemblage of mainly n-alkanes adsorbed within their walls. This assemblage differs from those found in other types of ceramic vessels from the same sites, as well as from the residues found within the associated sediments. The assemblage of odd and even-numbered n-alkanes found in the cornets is almost identical to that found in the residues of beeswax heated on modern ceramic fragments, as well as in a beehive from the Iron Age IIA strata at Tel Rehov, Israel. Thus the cornets are most likely to have contained beeswax. The presence of beeswax in the cornets contributes to our understanding of the Chalcolithic period; a time when secondary products such as milk, olive oil and wine are thought to have come into use.     

Molecular evidence for the mixing of Meat,Fish and Vegetables in Anglo‐Saxon coarseware from Hamwic,UK

Absorbed lipid residues from 24 seventh‐ to ninth‐century coarseware potsherds from the major Anglo‐Saxon trading centre of Hamwic (Southampton, UK) were analysed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC–MS) in order to reconstruct the dietary habits of its population. The results show that the vessels were used for preparing ruminant fats and leafy vegetables. In addition, evidence was found for a minor contribution of aquatic foods. Beeswax was found once and most probably relates to a sealing function or to honey. Remarkable features were: (i) the isomeric mixture of octadecenoic acid (C_18:1 Δ^{7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16}) and 8‐ to 16‐hydroxyoctadecanoic acid, and (ii) the co‐occurrence of C_17:1, C_19:1 and isoprenoid fatty acids. These features were proposed as biomarkers for ruminant and aquatic food sources, respectively. Furthermore, the carbonyl position distribution in mid‐chain ketones was used to identify mixtures of animal‐ and plant‐derived ketones. The paper highlights the difficulty in interpreting complex lipid signatures that show a mixture of various foods, as observed in the majority of the samples. This was linked to the preparation of stews or the recycling of vessels. The results are considered alongside ceramic usewear data and existing data relating to environmental remains recovered from the Hamwic excavations.     

Identification of pigments used in rock art paintings in Gode Roriso-Ethiopia using Micro-Raman spectroscopy

In this paper we present results on the rock art painting materials from the Gode Roriso rock shelter, located in the eastern Hararghe region of Ethiopia. This analysis included X-microfluorescence, Micro-Raman spectroscopy and microstratigraphy. As far as the results of the analysis are concerned, a white natural wax (beeswax), carbon black and iron oxides (a mixture of haematite and magnetite) along with charcoal particles (forming as a red colourant) have been applied on a natural substrate constituted of granite containing feldspar crystalline forms. Although very much a science-based piece of research, the results have far-reaching outcomes for understanding the sequencing of pigment application.     

文物中蜡类材料的热裂解-气相色谱/质谱识别

为识别文物中蜡质原材料,以及文物保护修复工作中常用蜡类材料的类别,研究通过在线甲基化热裂解-气相色谱/质谱联用技术对蜂蜡、棕榈蜡、小烛树蜡、地蜡、石蜡等蜡类材料进行分析检测。研究发现:蜂蜡的主要裂解产物为直链烷烃、直链脂肪酸、直链醇、含羟基脂肪酸;棕榈蜡为直链醇、直链脂肪酸、脂肪酸衍生物;小烛树蜡为直链烷烃、直链脂肪酸、直链醇、羽扇豆醇及其衍生物、计曼尼醇及其衍生物、脂肪酸衍生物;地蜡、石蜡等矿物蜡的主要裂解产物为直链烷烃。不同蜡中裂解产物的种类及其相对含量分布规律均有所区别,因此通过在线甲基化热裂解-气相色谱/质谱联用技术可以实现不同种类蜡的区分。通过所建立的方法及总结的数据,研究推断故宫旧藏清代紫檀木边座嵌玉人鸂鶒木山水图插屏中镶嵌珐琅构件所用棕色蜡为蜂蜡,所用白色蜡为矿物蜡及少量蜂蜡。本研究所建立方法易于推广,适用于文物中蜡类材料的准确、快速识别。     

Discovery of Beeswax as binding agent on a 6th-century BC Chinese Turquoise-inlaid Bronze sword

Recent archaeological field surveys and excavations at Qiaojiayuan, a platform 40 km west of the Yun County in present-day northwestern Hubei Province (central China), revealed four tombs (M₃, M₄, M₅ and M₆) dating back to around 6th to 5th century BC. The grave's layout, artifact assemblages and burial practice indicate that the owners of these four graves were aristocrats of the Chu state. Five turquoise-inlaid bronze artifacts (two swords and three dagger-axes) were excavated. The sword from M₄, imbedded with pieces of well-cut and finely-polished turquoise on its handle, was in a very bad state of preservation and underwent conservation treatment. Some sticky, whitish pastes were exposed when the inlaid turquoises dropped off. The pastes were supposed to be residues of unknown binding agents. Samples of the pastes were collected for FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) analyses to determine the chemical component(s). The results revealed that the pastes were composed of almost pure beeswax. This indicated that beeswax was used as binding agent in turquoise-inlaid bronzes as early as the 6th to 5th century BC in China. Review of recent technical studies suggested that beeswax was used in early China in several different regions (mostly southern part of China) for at least two different purposes (binding agent and lightening).     

蜂蜡类残留物的科学分析研究

蜂蜡是古代人类可获得的最常见的天然材料之一，在人类生产生活中占有重要地位。对蜂蜡类残留物的科技分析可直接提供古代人类对蜂蜡利用的科学证据。本文介绍了蜂蜡的产生与组成，梳理了蜂蜡类残留物的样品处理与检测分析方法，并总结了蜂蜡类残留物科学鉴定的依据，以期为古代蜂蜡利用与其他相关问题的研究提供有益参考。