Post‐Depositional Elemental Alterations in Pottery: Neutron Activation Analyses of Surface and Core Samples*

Schwedt, Alexander; Mommsen, Hans; Zacharias, N.

doi:10.1111/j.1475-4754.2004.00145.x

Cited by 92 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Further technical limitations should be mentioned: calcium and phosphorus are precisely some of the elements more susceptible of post-depositional alteration in archaeological materials (Freestone 2001;Schwedt et al 2004) -which highlights the convenience of combining chemical with microscopic information. Another problem is that ZAF correction procedures in standard analytical equipment may not be calibrated for such high-lead matrices as used cupels.…”

Section: Methodological Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Some problems and potentials of the study of cupellation remains: the case of post-medieval Montbéliard, France

Martinón‐Torres¹,

Thomas²,

Rehren³

et al. 2008

archeosciences

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Bone-ash cupels are increasingly identifi ed in medieval and later archaeological contexts related to the refi ning of noble metals in alchemy, assaying, jewellery or coin minting. Th ese small fi nds may provide information on metal refi ning activities, the technical knowledge of diff erent craftspeople, and the versatility of laboratory practices, which often diff ered from the standard protocols recorded in metallurgical treatises. Th is paper is centred around a late 16 th -early 17 th century cupel excavated in Montbéliard, France. Th e analytical study by optical microscopy, ED-XRF and SEM-EDS allows the cupel to be ascribed to the assaying of the silver content of an ore sample, which is supported by local historical and geological information. Th e manufacture of the cupel, made of a mixture of wood ash and bone ash, is also addressed, as well as the limited technical effi ciency of the operation. Th is leads to a wider discussion of diff erent recipes for the manufacture of cupels, documented historically and archaeologically, and involving the combination of various raw materials such as bone, wood ashes and clay. Th is variability raises interesting questions about the existence of diverse technical traditions, and the material properties and performance of diff erent cupels in their specifi c contexts. In order to facilitate comparisons, we propose that the study of cupellation remains is most informative when it combines microscopy and microanalysis. Th e role of experimental approaches to these questions is also discussed. Résumé : Les coupelles en cendres d'os sont de plus en plus nombreuses à être reconnues dans des fouilles médiévales ou modernes. Elles sont utilisées pour l'affi nage de métal précieux par les alchimistes, les essayeurs, les orfèvres ou encore les monnayeurs. Ces artefacts peuvent fournir des informations sur les techniques d'affi nage, les savoir-faire et les pratiques de l'atelier qui souvent sont diff érentes des recettes et procédés décrits dans les textes métallurgiques. Cette étude concerne une coupelle de la fi n du XVI e siècle ou du début du XVII e siècles découverte en fouille à Montbéliard (France). Les analyses, par microscopie optique, MEB-EDS, et ED-XRF permettent d'associer la coupelle à l'essai d'un échantillon

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Section: Methodological Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Some problems and potentials of the study of cupellation remains: the case of post-medieval Montbéliard, France

Martinón‐Torres¹,

Thomas²,

Rehren³

et al. 2008

archeosciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Moreover, LSNAA is not affected by post-depositional elemental alterations [23] since the analytical information is provided from the whole of the bulk material and not from the surface layers of the material only. For comparison, other established non-destructive analytical methods such as X-ray fluorescence analysis or analytical techniques based on charged particle irradiation (PIXE) can only analyze superficial layers of the sample.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

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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“…The mineralogical analysis of Tell Beydar ceramics by SR-XRD and petrography have given us technological 41 information on these ceramics, mainly regarding clay preparation and firing techniques.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alteration processes have in the past been investigated by various research teams (e.g. [41][42][43]). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Insights into the production technology of north-Mesopotamian Bronze Age pottery

2007

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With the aim of contributing to the knowledge of north-Mesopotamian Bronze Age pottery production (3rd millennium BC, early Dynastic and early Akkadian period), the mineralogy of pottery excavated from the site of Tell Beydar (Syria) has been studied in order to make inferences concerning the clay preparation and firing techniques of that period. The fired pottery finds have been classified by archaeologists into three distinct groups on the basis of their aesthetic and visual appearance and their mechanical strength: standard, cooking and "metallic" ware.SR X-ray powder diffraction data have been collected from 100 individual shards as well as from local clays and one unbaked object, an inscribed tablet. The XRD data is supplemented by SEM-EDS, XRF and polarising microscopy studies of 200 polished thin sections. The synthesis of the results from this extensive study quantifies the basic physical characteristics of the ensemble: the standard ware required no specific clay preparation and firing procedures. The body of the cooking ware contains large inclusions which result in a body texture intended to make them resistant to repeated thermal cycles. Both standard and cooking ware are made of a calcareous clay, typical of pottery from the Middle East. The metallic ware, however, are of a much finer quality with a distinctly different mineralogy than the other two groups.

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Post‐Depositional Elemental Alterations in Pottery: Neutron Activation Analyses of Surface and Core Samples*

Cited by 92 publications

References 10 publications

Some problems and potentials of the study of cupellation remains: the case of post-medieval Montbéliard, France

Some problems and potentials of the study of cupellation remains: the case of post-medieval Montbéliard, France

Large sample neutron activation analysis of a ceramic vase

Insights into the production technology of north-Mesopotamian Bronze Age pottery

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