This work shows the preliminary results of an international project for the interdisciplinary study of the limestone used in the plasters of the ancient city of Teotihuacan. The limestone provenance was studied using a new approach based on the chemical analysis of the lime lumps that were selected because they represent the composition of the original limestone rock. The results show that the applied methodology was successful and that the limestone used to produce the lime employed to make the floor of the main courtyard at Teopancazco (Teotihuacan), comes from the region near Tula (Hidalgo).
The identification of chemical activity residues on archaeological surfaces requires the analysis of large numbers of samples, which can be costly and time consuming. Researchers wishing to apply sediment chemistry often are confronted with a dilemma of which technique to use and how to accommodate sediment chemistry into their budget. We propose an approach to the identification of chemical activity residues in which semiquantitative spot tests, which are cheap, quick, and easy to apply, are employed as an initial phase of analysis in order to leverage the results of more timeconsuming and costly instrumental techniques. Three examples that pair spot tests with gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry analysis show that spot tests successfully identify areas of interest. This approach can save both time and research funds.
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