ARCHAEOMAGNETISM IN <i>ARCHAEOMETRY</i>— A SEMI‐CENTENNIAL REVIEW*

Sternberg, R.

doi:10.1111/j.1475-4754.2008.00444.x

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…Thus, knowledge of the characteristics of the ancient geomagnetic field can provide important information in order to better understand and constrain the processes related to the evolution of the Earth's deep interior. On the other hand, the archaeologist stands to learn about the relative and absolute dating of baked features (Tarling 1983; Eighmy and Sternberg 1990; Sternberg 2008). Recent investigations also suggest a connection between the geomagnetic field and climatic changes during the Holocene (Courtillot et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Archaeointensity of the Earth's Magnetic Field Retrieved From Pampean Ceramics (South America)

et al. 2011

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Absolute intensity determinations using the Coe variant of the Thellier method have been carried out on some selected pottery fragments collected in the wetlands of the lower Paraná (Pampean region, Argentina) in order to construct the first archaeointensity master curve for South America. Associated radiometric ages range between 1640 1 70 and 730 1 70 BP. Twenty-one samples (five fragments) out of 46 studied (eight fragments) provided successful absolute intensity determinations. The fragment-mean archaeointensity values obtained in this study range from 21.9 1 2.3 to 42.6 1 5.4 mT, with corresponding virtual axial dipole moments (VADMs) ranging from 4.0 1 0.5 to 8.1 1 1.0 x 10 22 Am 2 . This corresponds to a mean VADM of (6.4 1 1.8) ¥ 10 22 Am 2 . The synthetic record retrieved from southern Argentina and Brazil consists of 17 mean archaeointensities distributed between approximately AD 700 and AD 1700. The data set shows several distinct periods of fluctuations of quite large intensity. However, most data are concentrated into a relatively narrow time period from AD 950 to AD 1300. Three general features may be detected: the time intervals from about AD 950 to 1130 and 1350 to 1480 are characterized by quite monotonic increases of geomagnetic intensity, while some decrease is observed from AD 1150 to 1280. These variations may be speculatively correlated to climate changes over multi-decadal time scales. Important differences are observed between the data and the geomagnetic field predictions derived from recently reported global models, which reinforces the importance of regional reference curves for dating purposes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Archaeointensity of the Earth's Magnetic Field Retrieved From Pampean Ceramics (South America)

et al. 2011

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“…Environmental magnetic parameters have been proposed to be useful for assessing chert quality, distinguishing source areas, and identifying heated samples in the archeological record (Borradaile et al, 1993(Borradaile et al, , 1998Thacker and Ellwood, 2002;Sternberg, 2008). We discuss our results from the BCB chert types in light of these three main issues, and consider first an additional aspect (type and origin of magnetic minerals in chert) that has not been addressed in previous archeo-magnetic studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…They have been also applied in archeology for discriminating obsidian and other raw material of archeological interest such as chert and flint (McDougall et al, 1983;Tarling, 1990;Church and Caraveo, 1996;Borradaile et al, 1998;Thacker and Ellwood, 2002;Sternberg, 2008). Studies focused on chert samples have already shown the usefulness of rock magnetic properties to establish the degree of chert purity and to assess the provenance of some chert types (see Borradaile et al, 1993Borradaile et al, , 1998Thacker and Ellwood, 2002;Sternberg, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic Properties of Cherts from the Basque-Cantabrian Basin and Surrounding Regions: Archeological Implications

et al. 2016

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We present the first rock magnetic study of archeologically-relevant chert samples from the Basque-Cantabrian basin (BCB) and surrounding regions, which was conducted in order to test the usefulness of non-destructive magnetic properties for assessing chert quality, distinguishing source areas, and identifying heated samples in the archeological record. Our results indicate that the studied BCB cherts are diamagnetic and have very low amounts of magnetic minerals. The only exception is the chert of Artxilondo, which has a median positive magnetic susceptibility associated with larger concentrations of magnetic minerals. But even in this case, the magnetic susceptibility is within the lower range of other archeologically-relevant cherts elsewhere, which indicates that the studied BCB cherts can be considered as flint. The similar median values for all magnetic properties, along with their associated large interquartile ranges, indicates that rock magnetic methods are of limited use for sourcing different types of flint except in some specific contexts involving the Artxilondo flint. With regards to the identification of chert heating in the archeological record, our results indicate only a minor magnetic enhancement of BCB natural flint samples upon heating, which we attribute to the low amount of non-silica impurities. In any case, the diamagnetic behavior of most BCB natural flints, along with the local use only of the Artxilondo type, suggests that any flint tool within the core of the BCB with positive magnetic susceptibility values is likely to have been subjected to heating for improving its knapping properties. Further studies are necessary to better identify the type, origin and grain size of magnetic minerals in BCB natural flints, and to apply non-destructive magnetic properties to flint tools in order to identify the use of heat treatment in the BCB archeological record.

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“…Laboratory demagnetization methods are designed to recover the declination and inclination of the ancient magnetization by a series of demagnetization steps. This procedure sheds light on the processes involved in the ancient heating events (Gallet et al, 2009;Goulpeau, 1994;Hassul et al, in press;Lanos, Kovacheva, & Chauvin, 1999;Shaar et al, 2016;Sternberg, 2008;Sternberg & McGuire, 1990;Sternberg et al, 1999).…”

Section: Archaeomagnetismmentioning

confidence: 98%

Fire and collapse: Untangling the formation of destruction layers using archaeomagnetism

et al. 2018

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Historical events are sometimes expressed in destruction layers. We present here a study in which aspects of construction, destruction, and chronostratigraphy of fired mud bricks were explored using archaeomagnetism, infrared spectroscopy, and micromorphology. We measured 88 oriented samples mostly collected from one stratum, dated ca. 1000 B.C.E., representing a destroyed late Canaanite (late Iron Age I) city in Tel Megiddo, Israel. Firing temperatures, evaluated from infrared spectroscopy, micromorphology, and high‐temperature magnetic susceptibility cycles, range between 300°C and 800°C. Samples studied in one archaeomagnetic site yield a single stable magnetization vector in demagnetization experiments. Archaeomagnetic site means of three standing walls are grouped near the expected direction of the ancient geomagnetic field. We propose that walls in the destruction layer were constructed from sun‐dried mud bricks that later burned during the destruction. Collapsed bricks and tilted walls show variable directions, diagnostic for the relative timing of collapse and cooling of bricks, during and following the destruction event. In addition, we attempt to assign stratigraphic affiliation based on archaeomagnetic considerations to standing walls, which are spatially disconnected from the studied destruction layer. Altogether, this study demonstrates the usefulness of archaeomagnetism to understanding site formation processes related to fire and destruction.

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ARCHAEOMAGNETISM IN ARCHAEOMETRY— A SEMI‐CENTENNIAL REVIEW*

Cited by 15 publications

References 87 publications

The Archaeointensity of the Earth's Magnetic Field Retrieved From Pampean Ceramics (South America)

The Archaeointensity of the Earth's Magnetic Field Retrieved From Pampean Ceramics (South America)

Magnetic Properties of Cherts from the Basque-Cantabrian Basin and Surrounding Regions: Archeological Implications

Fire and collapse: Untangling the formation of destruction layers using archaeomagnetism

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