IDENTIFICATION OF POST‐DEPOSITIONAL CHEMICAL ALTERATION OF CERAMICS FROM THE NORTH COAST OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA (SANDUAN PROVINCE) BY TIME‐OF‐FLIGHT–LASER ABLATION–INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA–MASS SPECTROMETRY (TOF–LA–ICP–MS)* |
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Authors: | M GOLITKO J V DUDGEON H NEFF J E TERRELL |
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Institution: | 1. Field Museum of Natural History, Department of Anthropology, Chicago, Illinois 60605, USA;2. Idaho State University, Department of Anthropology, Pocatello, Idaho 83209, USA;3. California State University Long Beach, Department of Anthropology, Long Beach, California 90840, USA |
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Abstract: | The measured chemical composition of archaeological ceramics can result from a variety of geological, cultural and taphonomic factors. In the present study, we evaluate the likelihood that elevated barium concentrations in ceramics from the archaeological site of Wom/Aiser, located on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea, result from post‐depositional enrichment. Using time‐of‐flight–laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry, we mapped chemical compositional profiles across cut sections of ceramic sherds from four archaeological sites, all previously chemically characterized. We identify the formation of pronounced concentration gradients in samples from Wom/Aiser relative to sherds with low barium concentrations, consistent with post‐burial uptake. |
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Keywords: | POST‐BURIAL CHEMICAL ALTERATION POTTERY PAPUA NEW GUINEA TOF– LA– ICP– MS BARIUM |
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