Investigations of Paints on Ancestral Puebloan Black-on-white Pottery Using Magnetic and Microanalytic Methods

Prehistoric Anasazi ceramics studied by micro‐Raman spectroscopy

“…An indirect proof for the carbonaceous character of the decoration has been furnished by SEM/EDX (Table 1, sample n.169). The results demonstrate the low concentration of iron These easily accessible carbonaceous materials often employed in the decorations of ancestral ceramics have a long history 13,18 and their use lasts up to the present time. One of the impacts of our finding is that dating of ceramic samples using 14 C technique seems feasible, 29,30 even though such experiments are accompanied by a number of uncertainties.…”

“…More likely, various plants served as sources of amorphous carbon (e.g. Beeweed, Cleome Serrulata; 13 Mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa 18 ), having been converted to carbon after firing under reducing conditions. An indirect proof for the carbonaceous character of the decoration has been furnished by SEM/EDX (Table 1, sample n.169).…”

Raman microscopy in archaeological science

“…The precise identification of these pigments is important for understanding the technology and use of raw materials in the production of these pots as well as in determining typologies, chronologies, and geographical extent of these ceramics [132]. Of the many techniques applied to the analysis of these paints [131][132][133]142], only Raman microscopy was able to detect the carbonaceous component and simultaneously identify the specific mineral phases in pigment mixtures. Moreover, the analyses were performed rapidly and non-destructively.…”

Identification of black pigments on prehistoric Southwest American potsherds by infrared and Raman microscopy

“…IR measurements were performed on the samples as received using a Nicolet Continuum microscope coupled Table 1 Comparison of results from EDX [24,25] and Raman measurements Sample a EDX a Raman Figure a Sample identifiers and the results of EDX measurements were taken from earlier studies [24,25]. Although the EDX instrument was capable of measuring elemental carbon, signal levels of painted areas were not appreciably higher than those of unpainted regions.…”

“…Analyses of the black pigments on prehistoric Southwest American potsherds of the Ancestral Puebloan period have been discussed in a number of recent archaeometry studies [17,23,24,25]. Although these reddishbrown to black pigments are thought to be based on carbonaceous chars and/or iron oxide minerals, only elemental iron has been detected by the analytical methods used so far.…”