Critical assessment of the elemental composition of Corning archeological reference glasses by LA-ICP-MS

Wagner, Barbara; Nowak, Anna; Bulska, Ewa; Hametner, Kathrin; Günther, Detlef

doi:10.1007/s00216-011-5597-8

Cited by 84 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…The analysis of 1-2mm samples was performed using EPMA-WDS using a JEOL JXA-8200 electron microprobe in the Department of Archaeology, University of Nottingham as described elsewhere [24].…”

Section: Electron Probe Microanalysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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The use of electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for the investigation of 8th–14th century plant ash glasses from the Middle East

Henderson

Chenery

Faber

et al. 2016

Microchemical Journal

107

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The version presented here may differ from the published version or from the version of record. If you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher's version. Please see the repository url above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription. AbstractThis is the first broad survey using major, minor and trace element analysis of 8th-15th AD plant ash glass from the Middle East across a 2000 mile area stretching from Egypt to northern Iran. This was part of the ancient Silk Road that extended from the Middle East, through central Asia to China. Up to now, some compositional distinctions have been identified for such glasses mainly using major and minor element oxides and radiogenic isotopes. Our new trace element characterisation is for glass found in selected cosmopolitan hubs, including one where there is archaeological evidence for primary glass making. It provides not only far clearer provenance definitions for regional centres of production, in the Levant, northern Syria and in Iraq and Iran, but also for sub-regional zones of production. This fingerprinting is provided by trace elements associated with the primary glass making raw materials used: ashed halophytic plants and sands. Even more surprising is a correlation between some of the sub-regional production hubs and the types of glass vessels with diagnostic decoration apparently manufactured in or near the cosmopolitan hubs where the glass was found such as colourless cut and engraved vessels (in Iraq and Iran) and trail-decorated vessels (in the Levant). This therefore provides evidence for centres of specialisation. Our trace element characterisation provides a new way of defining the Silk Road by characterising the glass that was traded or exchanged along it. Taken together this data provides a new decentralised model for ancient glass production.

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Section: Electron Probe Microanalysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Twenty six elements were sought, presented as oxide [24]. The following elements were sought but not detected: V, Cr, Ni, Ba, Sn, Zn, Sr, Ag, As, Zr.…”

Section: Electron Probe Microanalysismentioning

confidence: 99%

The use of electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for the investigation of 8th–14th century plant ash glasses from the Middle East

Henderson

Chenery

Faber

et al. 2016

Microchemical Journal

107

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“…This prompted the study by Wagner et al (2012) with the purpose of testing the published recommended compositions of the Corning glasses and where needed, suggesting new values for some elements. Using LA-ICP-MS with three different laser systems, they suggested new values for elements whose results were separated by 3σ from the previously recommended values.…”

Section: Overview Of the Corning Archaeological Reference Glassesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the development of the Corning glasses, their elemental compositions have been re-evaluated and new updated values suggested, most recently by Wagner et al (2012). However, the concentrations of three elements were not re-examined in that study and the values are still based on theoretical values.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Corning Archaeological Reference Glasses: New Values for “Old” Compositions

Adlington

2017

Papers From the Institute of Archaeology

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The Corning Archaeological Reference Glasses are widely used as standards in the chemical analysis of archaeological and historical glasses, as their compositions were designed to approximate those of major glass types in antiquity. Since their development in the 1960s, their compositions have been revisited and updated. This paper provides a brief overview of the Corning glasses, and addresses two of the last three elements to be re-evaluated: the recommended values for the concentrations of SO 3 and Cl were, until now, based on theoretical values. Data for these elements were collected using electron microprobe, and used together with published data to suggest new values. Finally, a complete list with the most up-to-date compositions for the four Corning glasses is compiled for the benefit of other analysts.

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“…Such reference materials may suffer from various shortcomings such as questionable provenance, homogeneity or impurity issues (natural samples), contamination (synthetic materials), or incomplete or inaccurate reference compositions. Furthermore, variations between individual batches and/or updated reference compositions [1,5]) can lead to confusion and the potential risk for mixing old and new values. Efforts have to be made to keep a record, evaluate, and guarantee the quantity of RMS for the next century.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Focused Interest Group on Microanalytical Standards (FIGMAS): An Update

2017

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Reference materials and standards (RMS) play a crucial role in quantitative microbeam analysis, as they are the basis for instrumental calibration, data quality assurance (e.g., secondary standards) and interlaboratory comparison. Good standards that have been evaluated and certified for their homogeneity and reference composition are rare and only available from a handful of recognized providers. Whereas some crucial RMS have or will soon become unavailable, some researchers continue to develop and test new RMS [1][2][3], at times becoming more widely disseminated. Unfortunately, practical constraints make RMS development often difficult [4], and leave analysts with a set of "second choice" reference materials instead of certified standards. Such reference materials may suffer from various shortcomings such as questionable provenance, homogeneity or impurity issues (natural samples), contamination (synthetic materials), or incomplete or inaccurate reference compositions. Furthermore, variations between individual batches and/or updated reference compositions [1,5]) can lead to confusion and the potential risk for mixing old and new values. Efforts have to be made to keep a record, evaluate, and guarantee the quantity of RMS for the next century.Intimate knowledge and vetting of one's own RMS collection, awareness of compositional variations between standard batches [6], and adhering to proper standard maintenance protocols [7] are key components in this efforts. This is specifically important as failure in any of these aspects can turn originally "good" RMS to what is considered "bad" or "ugly" [7]. Metals that would otherwise be homogeneous and pure can easily oxidize, while well-characterized glasses can be altered by electron beam damage. Some RMS may have subpopulations that deviate from the published composition, and one has to identify such outliers. To return a "bad" RMS to the "good" (or at least better) category, individual labs may need to adjust reference composition on file to accurately reflect true compositions. In other cases, a modification of the analytical protocol might be necessary, e.g., defocussing the electron beam to minimize the effect of sub-micrometer inclusions [8], averaging over multiple grains to minimize bias due to intergrain heterogeneity [9], using intensity corrections to account for beam damage effects [10], or accounting for peak shifts or shape changes between materials [11]. Generation and upkeep of this level of documentation for a wide range of materials is often beyond the scope of what a single lab or RMS provider can perform due to the dispersed nature of information, often scattered over individual publications, conference abstracts, and personal anecdotes. Furthermore, recent hardware innovations such as brighter electron sources (Schottky emitters), new WDS monochromators, modern SDD-EDS, and a new generation of soft X-ray spectrometers (SXES, iZPS) will necessitate further characterization of new and established reference materials. Software innovations are estab...

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Critical assessment of the elemental composition of Corning archeological reference glasses by LA-ICP-MS

Cited by 84 publications

References 47 publications

The use of electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for the investigation of 8th–14th century plant ash glasses from the Middle East

The use of electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry for the investigation of 8th–14th century plant ash glasses from the Middle East

The Corning Archaeological Reference Glasses: New Values for “Old” Compositions

Focused Interest Group on Microanalytical Standards (FIGMAS): An Update

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