Nineteen glasses from Maroni Petrera, Cyprus, dating to the sixth-seventh centuries AD, have been analysed by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis in the scanning electron microscope for major and minor elements. A subset of 15 glasses was also analysed for trace elements, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Two groups are identified. The majority is made of glass produced in the coastal region of Syria-Palestine. The smaller group is of high iron, manganese and titanium (HIMT) glass, a widespread type of uncertain origin at the present time. The glasses appear to have undergone relatively minor mixing and recycling, and the glass material is likely to have arrived in Cyprus in the form of raw glass chunks or relatively fresh vessel cullet.
In this paper we present data to demonstrate the applicability of laser-ablation MC-ICP-MS isotope analysis to archaeological artefacts, in this case Roman silver coins. The technique requires no chemical preparation, does minimal damage to the sample and yields external reproducibility that is better than conventional TIMS analysis; 207 Pb/ 206 Pb = ± 0.015% 2 σ in comparison with 207 Pb / 206 Pb = ± 0.04% 2 σ , respectively. We show that Pb isotope compositions give isotope fingerprints to mints despite the likely reworking of the metal during coin production.
A selection of Roman military jittings and associated copper-alloy artefacts was analysed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. The method used was a variant on those previously published and gives very good precision and accuracy. The Roman metalwork analysed conforms extremely well to similar artefacts analysed from contemporaneous European sites and suggests, despite the strongly 'local' nature of the Judaean legions, aconsiderable uniformity of alloying practice within the Roman army during thejirst century AD.
The published analyses of Roman military copper‐alloy metalwork from Masada are complimented by additional ICP‐AES analyses of material from Gamla enabling further discussion of alloying trends and presenting new insights into the organization of the Roman military and the cultural specificity of brass technology.
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