The use of mineral magnetic parameters to characterize archaeological artifacts

Abstract

This study investigates the magnetic mineralogy of a collection of archaeological potteries. Actual magnetic carriers and the domain states of the constituent magnetic fine particles have been obtained from the acquisition of isothermal remanence and low field susceptibility measurements. The magnetic mineralogy of all samples has been dominated by ferrimagnetic mineral (magnetite/magnetite with low titanium content) which is suitable for paleointensity measurement in determining the intensity of the ancient geomagnetic field.