Transitions in cast iron technology of the nomads in Mongolia

Metallurgical study of seven cast iron artifacts recovered from sites of the former Xiongnu (BC 3rd to AD 1st), Turk (AD 6th to 8th), Khitan (AD 10th to 12th), and Mongolian empires (AD 12th to 15th) shows that the earlier Xiongnu and Turk artifacts were made of cast iron alloys of near eutectic composition. The later Khitan and Mongol objects had greatly reduced carbon content in the range of ultrahigh carbon steel rather than cast iron, and contained more than 0.5 mass % silicon as an alloying element. Inclusions high in sulfur, phosphorus or silicon are also present. These differences suggest that Mongolia experienced a technical transition a few centuries before the establishment of the Mongolian empire, which is in agreement with some written accounts. The microstructures of the cast iron artifacts are compared with the related archaeological and documentary evidence. The results suggest that the use of fossil coal in smelting and the state policy of controlling iron production were the major factors responsible for the transition.     

Identification of fragmentary bone from the Pacific

We explore bone microstructure for taxonomic identification of archaeological bones too fragmentary to permit secure identification on morphological grounds. Backscattered electron (BSE) imaging is used to observe bone tissue types and the arrangement of vascular canals, and to facilitate quantification of osteonal canal dimensions. Examination of known examples of relevant taxa (humans [n = 8], pigs [n = 4] and dogs [n = 4]) shows significant differences among them. When the results of this examination are applied to a blind test of modern and archaeological specimens (humans [n = 8], pigs [n = 2]), 100% of specimens are identified correctly. The approach is applied to 13 morphologically unidentifiable fragments from Hawai’i and Fiji to evaluate its potential for identifying bone tools and to increase the number of samples available for dietary analysis. Potential applications of the approach for other contexts are discussed.     

东周青铜复合剑制作技术研究

东周时期,吴越出现了一种奇特的青铜复合剑,剑的中脊和两刃是用两种不同成分的青铜铸接而成。为充分了解青铜复合剑的制作,对上海博物馆馆藏的4把青铜复合剑残剑进行了分析,通过X-射线荧光能谱仪分析残剑的剑刃和剑脊的成分,金相显微镜分析剑刃和剑脊的组织,发现中国古代工匠采用低锡青铜制作韧性好的剑脊,高锡青铜制作强度和硬度高的剑从,通过榫卯结构以铸接法将剑脊与剑从结合成一体,得到刚柔兼具的青铜复合剑。在测试分析的基础上进行模拟实验,先以陶范铸造法铸造出两侧带榫头的青铜剑脊,剑脊的成分采用88％铜、10％锡、2％铅的低锡青铜;然后将青铜剑脊置入铸造剑从的陶范内,两侧的榫头伸入陶范型腔中,剑从的成分采用78％铜、20％锡、2％铅的高锡青铜,当剑从凝固时产生的收缩使剑脊和剑从牢固地结合成整体,再分1次或多次以铸接法铸上剑格、剑茎、剑箍和剑首,成功地复制了青铜复合剑,再现了东周时期青铜复合剑的制作工艺。     

湖北枣阳市九连墩楚墓青铜器的材料学特征研究

前言湖北省随州、枣阳一带古称随枣走廊,是联系我国中原、西北与南方的交通要道,地下文物十分丰富,曾因云梦睡虎地秦简、随州曾侯乙墓编钟等重大考古发现而闻名于世。九连墩古墓群位于湖北枣阳市东赵湖村,距市区约21公里,由9座南北走向的带封土的大中型墓葬组成,绵延约3000     

安徽繁昌窑青白瓷釉初步研究

本文利用扫描电镜、X射线衍射仪与电子探针能谱仪对安徽繁昌窑青白瓷釉的显微结构、物相和化学组成进行了分析,并与同时期的湖北青山窑和江西景德镇窑青白瓷釉进行了对比研究,认为繁昌窑青白瓷釉属于钙系釉中钙釉类型,其瓷釉配方工艺与青山窑与湖田窑相似,应由一种“釉石”加入石灰石及草木灰制成。     

Sub‐micron spongiform porosity is the major ultra‐structural alteration occurring in archaeological bone

Total pore volume and pore size distribution are indicators of the degree of post‐mortem modification of bone. Direct measurements of pore size distribution in archaeological bones using mercury intrusion porosimetry (HgIP) and back scattered scanning electron microscopy (BSE‐SEM) reveal a common pattern in the changes seen in degraded bone as compared to modern samples. The estimates of pore size distribution from HgIP and direct measurement from the BSE‐SEM images show remarkable correspondence. The coupling of these two independent approaches has allowed the diagenetic porosity changes in human archaeological bone in the >0.01 µm range to be directly imaged, and their relationship to pre‐existing physiological pores to be explored. The increase in porosity in the archaeological bones is restricted to two discrete pore ranges. The smaller of these two ranges (0.007–0.1 µm) lies in the range of the collagen fibril (0.1 µm diameter) and is presumably formed by the loss of collagen, whereas the larger pore size distribution is evidence of direct microbial alteration of the bone. HgIP has great potential for the characterization of microbial and chemical alteration of bone. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中国早期黄铜混合矿冶炼工艺的模拟探索

按照"混合矿冶炼工艺"模拟了黄铜冶炼实验。利用X射线衍射、X射线荧光、金相显微镜、扫描电子显微镜等方法,分析了模拟实验所得的黄铜样品,并讨论了中国早期黄铜的冶炼工艺。实验结果表明:当温度高于800℃时,孔雀石、炉甘石和木炭在密闭装置中,即可反应生成黄铜,所炼黄铜的金相组织以等轴晶为主,伴有少量孪晶。冶炼温度在800℃时,所炼黄铜的含锌量低于5%;850℃时,其含锌量可超过10%;达到900℃后,其含锌量将超过20%。     

Micro-sampling of human bones for mobility studies: diagenetic impacts and potentials for elemental and isotopic research

The nature of long bone formation and the pathways of interaction between bone samples and the burial environment suggest that portions of the bones disconnected from the arterial system are resistant to diagenetic alteration. Preliminary work on femurs from Early Bronze Age hunter-gatherers in Cis-Baikal, Siberia shows that the nature and progression of chemical changes in the bone matrix due to microbial attack can be analyzed using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Intra-osteon variability in elemental concentrations and strontium isotope ratios (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) indicate the presence of unaltered portions of bone within diagenetically modified bone and suggest that useful data remain accessible. These biogenic signals can potentially be useful for mobility research in broad terms and the smaller timescales within an individual's lifetime (months, years), accessible therein. Laser ablation micro-sampling of femur specimens showed that intra-osteon elemental composition of Ba, Re, and Cs varied within and was correlated between multiple osteons of a single bone. Portions of chemically unaffected bone were identified within, and effectively discriminated from diagenetically altered bone tissue. Areas showing visual alterations and erratic or uncorrelated Ca and Sr elemental results also had anomalous Sr isotope ratios, suggesting diagenetic alteration in those places. Compositional and isotopic analysis of intact portions of bone supports the hypothesis that hunter-gatherer groups in Cis-Baikal made numerous major movements during their lives. Microscopic analysis of long bones clarifies aspects of biodeterioration and correlations between trace elemental results and diagenetic alteration. Micro-sampling of intact portions of bone expands the scope of available materials for research on mobility and other aspects of human past behavior.     

Skeletal microstructures of hyoliths from the Early Cambrian of Siberia

Phosphatised conchs and opercula of various hyoliths, 1–2 mm in size, retaining original skeletal microstructures have been extracted with dilute acetic acid from Lower Cambrian carbonates of northern Siberia. The conchs grew by deposition of new lamellae on the inner side of the aperture. Two microstructural types are recognised among the conchs assigned to the Allathecidae, namely with a simple or composite inner layers. The conchs are built of inner and outer layers of mineralised fibre bundles. In the outer layer the bundles are longitudinally oriented. Their external ends are inclined toward the apex of conch. Each bundle contains a channel. Transverse bundles of the inner layer commonly run around the conch but may branch toward the aperture and produce an orthogonal network. The inner layer in this case is composite and consists of two sublayers. In the outer sublayer the bundles are situated transversely around the conch, and in the inner sublayer the bundles are directed longitudinally. Channels between the bundles of the inner layer were possibly connected to those of the outer layer and reflect a system of tubules. The latter possibly participated in biomineralisation and provided a framework, which reinforced the skeleton. The tubules do not penetrate the outermost portion of the outer layer. Septa display radially arranged fibrous microfabric with the evidence of a centripetal growth from the inner surface of conch. The opercula consisted of series of growth lamellae each containing fibres, oriented radially, and tubules. The tubules were almost normal to the growth surfaces and concentrated in the opercular limb. The hyolith skeleton probably contained organic fibres mineralised by aragonite and commonly fused into bundles. The affinity of the Hyolitha to a separate phylum may be supported by this microstructural investigation.     

汉代铸钱铜范的分析与研究

为了研究汉代铸钱铜范的性能与铸钱工艺,对汉代铸钱金属范的出土概况进行统计,可知：单直浇道阶梯浇注式是汉代铸钱金属范的主要铸型。金属范的尺寸随着时间推移有一个逐渐增大又逐渐减小的发展过程,发展的高峰期在西汉中晚期上林三官专铸五铢时期。西汉早期,金属范以2行钱币型腔为主;西汉中期,金属范以2行或4行钱币型腔为主;西汉中晚期和王莽时期,金属范发展到4行或6行钱模,以6行钱币型腔为主;东汉时期,金属范又转为以2行钱币型腔为主。在对汉代铸钱金属范的出土概况进行统计后,以上海博物馆收藏的铜范为基础,对部分汉代铜范进行了X射线荧光表面成分分析,在金相显微镜下进行了金属相结构分析,并通过扫描电镜能谱分析了金属范的基体成分。分析结果表明：1）西汉早-中期金属范的成分变化较大;西汉中期-东汉时期,五铢金属范中锡含量较低,在一定的范围内变化,但铅含量的变化范围较大;王莽时期,金属范的成分比较一致。高铅低锡青铜是汉代铸钱金属范所采用的一种主要成分。2）金属范的基体组织以α固溶体＋Pb为主,使金属范具有较好的塑性和致密度。即使是反复地使用,组织中仍保留着铸态组织,表明金属范未受到长时间的高温加热。在金属范的铸钱过程中使用了表面涂层以减轻金属范的受热程度,达到保护金属范的目的。