Acknowledging Fifty Years of Neutron Activation Analysis in Archaeology

Speakman, Robert J.; Glascock, Michael D.

doi:10.1111/j.1475-4754.2007.00294.x

Cited by 51 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…4,5 In spite of the large use of activation analysis in early archaeological science measurements, as evidenced by the first volumes of the Archaeometry journal (a review in Ref. 6), XRF (x-ray fluorescence), SEM-EDX (scanning electron microscopy with an energy dispersive x-ray system 7 ) and afterwards PIXE (particle induced x-ray emission 8 ) became, more or less rapidly, major techniques in the field of archaeological sciences. An increasing use of x-ray based techniques in archaeometry is at present illustrated by the attraction for synchrotron-based analysis despite the outstanding required facilities and the consequent difficult access to archaeologists and museum curators.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An overview on the ancient goldsmith's skill and the circulation of gold in the past: the role of x‐ray based techniques

Guerra

2008

X-Ray Spectrometry

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From the study of coins and casted simple objects to intricate jewellery comprising many diverse parts joined together, analytical queries on ancient goldwork concern the description of the manufacturing techniques, the identification of the authenticity and the localisation of the exploited sources of gold. Through the examination of the objects by x-ray radiography and the non-destructive elemental analysis of the gold alloys -by XRF, SEM-EDX, PIXE and SR-XRF, x-ray based techniques have always played an important role in the study of cultural heritage and, in particular, of goldwork.The aim of this article is to give a short overview of the use of the most established scientific-based techniques in the study of goldwork, with special outlining on the limitations, advantages and applications of x-ray based techniques. Two applications illustrate both the potential of examination techniques to identify the authenticity of gold jewellery and the importance of combining examination techniques and elemental analysis to describe the fabrication stages of goldwork. At last, a third example shows the significant socio-economical assumptions developed by determining the characteristic trace elements of gold when coinages are considered.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An overview on the ancient goldsmith's skill and the circulation of gold in the past: the role of x‐ray based techniques

Guerra

2008

X-Ray Spectrometry

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“…Speakman & Glascock, 2007). Chemical analysis in general, and NAA in particular, have been used largely in ceramic studies concerned with the provenance of particular kinds of pottery that are found in archaeological contexts but for which the place of origin is unknown.…”

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confidence: 99%

Clay resources in the Nelas region (Beira Alta), Portugal. A contribution to the characterization of potential raw materials for prehistoric ceramic production

Marques

Jorge²,

Franco

et al. 2010

Clay miner.

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AB ST R ACT : Mineralogical and chemical compositions of residual and sedimentary clays (bulk and <2 mm fraction) from the Nelas region (schist, aplite-pegmatites, granites and Tertiary sediments from both Mondego River margins), Portugal, were studied, aiming to establish indicators for raw materials in ancient ceramic provenance studies. The mineralogy of bulk material does not provide a clear distinction between samples. Among clay minerals, kaolinite dominates, except in the aplitepegmatites where illite prevails. Smectite was only found in sediments of the left river bank.A more successful result was the geochemical differentiation of clay types. The weathered schist presents greater enrichment in Cr, whereas the clay fraction of aplite-pegmatites shows enrichment in all the chemical elements studied. The sediments and weathered granites are not easy to differentiate; the best geochemical indicators are U (lower contents in clay-size fraction of sediments) and REE patterns in both bulk and clay-size fraction.

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“…Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) is an established technique allowing such analysis to be performed [1]. The technique is based on neutron irradiation of samples obtained from the object of interest and measurement of the emitted gamma rays using a gamma spectrometer system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Large sample neutron activation analysis of a ceramic vase

Stamatelatos

Tzika

Vasilopoulou

et al. 2010

J Radioanal Nucl Chem

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Large Sample Neutron Activation Analysis (LSNAA) was applied to perform non-destructive elemental analysis of a ceramic vase. Appropriate neutron self-shielding and gamma ray detection efficiency calibration factors were derived using Monte Carlo code MCNP5. The results of LSNAA were compared against Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) results and a satisfactory agreement between the two methods was observed. The ratio of derived concentrations between the two methods was within 0.7 and 1.3. Estimation of the activity level decay with time showed that the vase could be released from regulatory control at about 3 months postirradiation. This study provided an analytical procedure for bulk sample analysis of precious and archaeological objects that need to be preserved intact and cannot be damaged for sampling purposes.

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Acknowledging Fifty Years of Neutron Activation Analysis in Archaeology

Cited by 51 publications

References 12 publications

An overview on the ancient goldsmith's skill and the circulation of gold in the past: the role of x‐ray based techniques

An overview on the ancient goldsmith's skill and the circulation of gold in the past: the role of x‐ray based techniques

Clay resources in the Nelas region (Beira Alta), Portugal. A contribution to the characterization of potential raw materials for prehistoric ceramic production

Large sample neutron activation analysis of a ceramic vase

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