Bone diagenesis in the European Holocene II: taphonomic and environmental considerations

We have applied cluster analysis to mercury intrusion porosimetry data from 219 archaeological bones (121 human and 98 animal) and soil chemistry data from 219 accompanying soil samples (1 per bone sample), to investigate the influence of soil chemistry on bone preservation. The samples chosen for the study were obtained from sites ranging in time from the pre-modern to the Mesolithic and were representative of burial environments across Europe (from the Baltic to the Mediterranean). These results represent the single largest database for archaeological bone preservation in the European Holocene to date and demonstrate the potential for large-scale diagenetic studies to help develop long term preservation strategies for our European heritage. Despite the variety of sites and environments, bones could be categorised into only four main diagenetic types. Furthermore, soil chemistry appears to significantly affect only one type of preservation, the pathway characterised by loss of mineral. In neutral to basic soils, taphonomy and in particular the differences between the treatment of human and animal remains, becomes the dominating factor in determining preservation. Using these results, strategies for heritage management of archaeological sites can be suggested; grouping sites into those requiring immediate excavation and those where in situ preservation is viable.     

成都市青白江区双元村墓地朱砂的汞同位素分析

为尝试比较汞同位素分馏数据来跟踪朱砂矿源,对成都市青白江区双元村战国墓地11个墓中的朱砂样本进行汞同位素测定。汞同位素分馏值彼此相似,应来自同一矿源。δ²⁰²Hg值从-1.18‰到-0.84‰不等(均值-1.010‰,标准误差0.105‰,样本数11个),和已发表的其他矿源汞同位素分馏值均存在差异。通过数据比较,可知成都青白江区双元村墓地不同墓中的漆器朱砂颜料汞同位素质量分馏值分布集中,极有可能来自同一矿源。如对周边地区朱砂矿进行汞同位素分馏值测量,有可能找出该墓地的矿源。     

气候对中国古代塔砖材料性能劣化影响的研究

在气候影响下,塔砖材料性能的劣化加剧了中国古塔结构的损伤,减少了古塔的结构寿命。为此,课题选择两个极具代表性的中国古代砖塔—1500年历史的嵩岳寺塔和1200年历史的法王寺塔进行同一性研究,欲证明两塔在地理位置、环境气候、形制、塔体古砖制造原料和制造工艺等方面均具有很强的相似性和同一性。采用X射线荧光光谱法分析了两塔塔砖的材料成分,采用压汞法对两塔塔砖材料的孔隙率、孔隙结构和孔隙分布特征进行了实验。两塔塔砖材料实验结果的差异证明:在公元5世纪到公元8世纪的300年气候影响下(该气候为自然营力而非实验室人工模拟),塔砖材料孔隙率的增大是导致中国古代塔砖性能劣化的主要原因,大约30%左右的孔隙从小于1000nm孔径发展扩大到10000～50000nm孔径是塔砖材料孔隙率增大的主要表现形式。因此,预防小孔径孔隙(小于1000nm)在气候影响下发展扩大的防治措施应该成为中国古代砖塔保护工作的研究重点。同时,对因塔砖材料性能劣化而产生的古塔塔体的表观特征进行了分析,分析结果有利于中国古代砖塔的保护。     

Lipoic acid formulations for the removal of arsenic and mercury from museum artifact materials

Museums currently face a tremendous task of identification, mitigation, and remediation of pesticides from artifacts in order to protect museum workers and the general public. Additionally artifacts are being repatriated by Native American tribes for use in cultural ceremonies which may subject the practitioner to health risks. Arsenic and mercury salts are among the most persistent poisons used and so a critical challenge is removing these hazardous metals without damaging the material composition or decorations of the objects. At this time, there are no feasible procedures that can meet both of these objectives. Reported here is the development of a procedure involving concentrated aqueous reduced lipoic acid solutions for the removal of arsenic and mercury pesticides from substrate materials commonly encountered in museums.     

两件西汉时期鎏金与鎏银青铜器镀层中的金属化合物

采用金相显微分析、环境扫描电子显微镜、X-射线衍射、X-射线荧光对两件西汉时期的鎏金与鎏银青铜马镳进行了分析,揭示了西汉时期鎏金与鎏银青铜器的部分金相学特征和部分金属化合物,研究结果表明我国西汉时期已采用了金汞齐与银汞齐在铅锡铜合金表面火法鎏金和鎏银技术。