A total of 50 cosmetic pigments from the Royal Cemetery of the Sumerian city of Ur, Mesopotamia, ... more A total of 50 cosmetic pigments from the Royal Cemetery of the Sumerian city of Ur, Mesopotamia, now in the collections of the Penn Museum, Philadelphia, were investigated for their mineralogical, inorganic, organic and lead isotope composition. The aim of this study was to investigate the making of the pigments and to search for the origin of the material used. Main components of the green pigments were green secondary copper minerals mixed with white hydroxyapatite from bones. Copper acetates and formic acids were detected and the formation of verdigris is discussed. Black pigments mostly consist of black manganese minerals. White pigments were made of oxidized white lead minerals, while in red pigments hematite was detected. Vegetable oil or animal fats were detected in a majority of the pigment samples analyzed, and it appears that the pigments were smoothly smeared into the (shell) containers as a paste, but the modern conservation of the pigments and decomposition of the organics hinders a clear identification of the original organic components. Chemical and lead isotope analyses point to a provenance of the coloring minerals from ore deposits in Oman, on the Iranian Plateau and in southeast Anatolia.
In order to assess the fractionation of copper isotopes during smelting under reconstructed condi... more In order to assess the fractionation of copper isotopes during smelting under reconstructed conditions, smelting experiments with chalcopyrite ore were conducted in built furnaces based on archaeometallurgical evidence from the Bronze Age Eastern Alps and ethnographic examples from Nepal. Two experimental series, S2 and S4 were chosen for analysis. Each series consisted of a number of roasting and smelting experiments with different experimental parameters, and both series yielded metallic copper. Each type of experiment, their outcomes, and observations made during them are described in detail to facilitate future experimental work. Both series differ significantly in their outcome. XRD analyses and chemical analyses were carried out to reveal the reasons for the observed differences. The chemistry of the obtained matte shows that roasting is pivotal for a successful smelting process and that two cycles of matte roasting and subsequent smelting can be sufficient to remove most of ...
Archäometrische Isotopenuntersuchungen an archäologischen Objekten sind mittlerweile als eine Rou... more Archäometrische Isotopenuntersuchungen an archäologischen Objekten sind mittlerweile als eine Routineanwendung in der Archäologie zu betrachten. Die in diesem Zusammenhang bekannteste ist die Blei isotopenmethode, die mithi lfe der Geochronologie, also der Bestimmung des geologischen Alters von Gesteinen und Erzmineralen, erlaubt, einen direkten Zusammenhang zwischen Metal lobjekten und deren Erzvorkommen herzustel len. Dies dient in der Archäologie dazu, fundierte Argumente für archäologische Strukturen wie politische oder wirtschaftl iche (Handels)beziehungen, technische Innovationen und deren regionale oder überregionale Verbreitung, die Zirkulation von Material sowie die Unterscheidung von regional kleinräumiger Abtrennung gegen interkulturel le Öffnung von Gesellschaften zu definieren. Das Gelingen der Isotopenmethode hängt von einigen wichtigen Voraussetzungen ab: (1 ) Die Isotopie des Erzes darf sich unter Experimentel le Archäologie in Europa 1 8 – Jahrbuch 201 9, S. 47-60 K...
Until today, raw material information of copper (Cu) objects is mostly gained from impurities and... more Until today, raw material information of copper (Cu) objects is mostly gained from impurities and trace elements and not from the Cu itself. This might be obtained using its stable isotopes. However, isotopic fingerprinting requires the absence of fractionation during the smelting process. The Cu isotope evolution during outdoor smelting experiments with Cu sulphide ore was investigated. It is shown that external materials, in particular furnace lining, clay, manure and sand, alter the isotopic composition of the smelting products. Cu isotopes are fractionated within low viscosity slag derived from matte smelting. The produced metallic Cu has a Cu isotope signature close to the ore.
El trabajo vuelve sobre dos lingotes ya conocidos, salidos a la luz recientemente, su epigrafía y... more El trabajo vuelve sobre dos lingotes ya conocidos, salidos a la luz recientemente, su epigrafía y sobre los análisis de isotopos de plomo que les atribuyen una procedencia hispánica y mas concretamente del Cinturón pirítico del suroeste peninsular. Son dos testimonios concretos de la vitalidad del comercio marítimo del cobre de esta zona de la Península durante el siglo II de nuestra era.
Este artículo presenta los resultados de los análisis isotópicos del plomo realizados en algunos ... more Este artículo presenta los resultados de los análisis isotópicos del plomo realizados en algunos de los 22 lingotes romanos de plomo y de cobre de Chipiona (Cádiz), estudiados en un primer artículo publicado en 2010 por la revista "Habis". El objetivo de dichos análisis era determinar la o las zonas de fabricación de los lingotes, que su estudio arqueológico y epigráfico orientaba hacia la Sierra Morena oriental para el plomo, la Faja Pirítica para el cobre. La arqueometría sólo confirma en parte estas conclusiones, designando una misma área, la Sierra Morena oriental, como lugar de procedencia del conjunto de lingotes.The paper presents the results of the lead isotope analyses made on some of the 22 Roman lead and copper ingots found in Chipiona (Cádiz), yet studied in a first article “Habis” published in 2010. The aim of such analyses was to precise the geographical origin of the ingots, as the archaeological and epigraphic study seems to indicate the Eastern part of Sie...
The skeletal remains of an individual were found in 2001 in the vicinity of the Roman open-air mu... more The skeletal remains of an individual were found in 2001 in the vicinity of the Roman open-air museum at »Villa Borg« near Oberleuken-Perl, Saarland. Radiocarbon analysis dated the feature to the 1st century AD. No belongings or grave goods were found. The osteological examination showed that the skeletal remains were those of an adult male. The bones bore no evidence of injury or disease, which meant that it was not possible to determine the cause of death. Whilst the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were consistent with the local dietary range in the Roman period, the results of the strontium isotope analysis suggested that the individual had spent his childhood and adolescence elsewhere. The second molar of the left mandible exhibited a defect or cavity which contained a substance resembling filling material. Imaging techniques and material analyses were used to determine whether this was indeed a dental filling and to obtain information about the nature and composition of the ...
Le contenu de ce site relève de la législation française sur la propriété intellectuelle et est l... more Le contenu de ce site relève de la législation française sur la propriété intellectuelle et est la propriété exclusive de l'éditeur. Les œuvres figurant sur ce site peuvent être consultées et reproduites sur un support papier ou numérique sous réserve qu'elles soient strictement réservées à un usage soit personnel, soit scientifique ou pédagogique excluant toute exploitation commerciale. La reproduction devra obligatoirement mentionner l'éditeur, le nom de la revue, l'auteur et la référence du document. Toute autre reproduction est interdite sauf accord préalable de l'éditeur, en dehors des cas prévus par la législation en vigueur en France. Revues.org est un portail de revues en sciences humaines et sociales développé par le Cléo, Centre pour l'édition
Unserer Forschungsgruppe bot sich in den Jahren 1996−1998 die Gelegenheit, eine Auswahl von Metal... more Unserer Forschungsgruppe bot sich in den Jahren 1996−1998 die Gelegenheit, eine Auswahl von Metallgefasen aus dem antiken Pompei makroskopisch zu untersuchen und Materialproben zu entnehmen. Allgemein bekannt ist, dass die Stadt am 24. August und in den darauffolgenden Tagen des Jahres 79 n. Chr. infolge eines verheerenden Ausbruchs des Vulkans Vesuv untergegangen und nahezu vollkommen verschuttet worden war. Damit ist fur die gesamte materielle Hinterlassenschaft ein bedeutender chronologischer Fixpunkt gegeben. In den Magazinen der Soprintendenza Archaeologica di Pompei werden heute 1 678 Gefase und Gefasfragmente aus Kupfer und Kupferlegierungen aufbewahrt, daneben auch mehrere Kisten mit deformierten Gefasfragmenten, die Folge eines Bombardements der Royal Air Force im Jahre 1943, bei dem etliche Gebaude beschadigt wurden und das Antiquarium zerstort worden war. Fur den uberwiegenden Teil des Inventars lasst sich noch der ursprungliche Fundort innerhalb der Wohnbebauung (Tassina...
Young researchers from different institutions and educational backgrounds study and work in the f... more Young researchers from different institutions and educational backgrounds study and work in the fields of archaeometry and conservation studies. Due to the varying methodological and analytical approaches, mutual exchange and networking particularly among students and young researchers in general is rendered difficult. The 1st workshop for young researchers in archaeometry and conservation studies aims to close this gap and invites all young researchers to present their work in a convenient/relaxed atmosphere and to discuss among peers. Contributions should focus on analytical studies of archaeological materials or on institutions carrying out research in archaeometry and/or conservation studies. Two discussion rounds offer the possibility for mutual exchange about chances and opportunities in supporting and promoting young researchers.
The paper presents lead and copper isotope analyses of 51 copper ore samples from the Sierra More... more The paper presents lead and copper isotope analyses of 51 copper ore samples from the Sierra Morena, South of Spain. They are from ancient mines of the Iberian Peninsula collected by Claude Domergue during various field campaigns in the central Sierra Morena from 1965 to 1975. Most samples consist of copper oxide minerals such as malachite, azurite and chrysocolla and stem from the surficial sections of the ore deposits. The aim of the study was to supplement the existing reference data bank on lead isotopic compositions of ancient copper mines from the Iberian Peninsula. This is particularly important for the Sierra Morena for which data exist mostly for lead-zinc but not for copper ores. The lead isotope ratios range from 18.165 to 19.712 (206Pb/204Pb), 0.797 to 0.859 (207Pb/206Pb) and 1.955 to 2.108 (208Pb/206Pb). Two separate fields can be distinguished with a major field intermediate between the ore deposits from SW and SE Spain and a second at higher 208Pb/206Pb values. Copper...
The reasons why the Western Mediterranean, especially Carthage and Rome, resisted monetization re... more The reasons why the Western Mediterranean, especially Carthage and Rome, resisted monetization relative to the Eastern Mediterranean are still unclear. We address this question by combining lead (Pb) and silver (Ag) isotope abundances in silver coinage from the Aegean, Magna Graecia, Carthage and Roman Republic. The clear relationships observed between 109 Ag/ 107 Ag and
Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie, 2018
The many gold and silver artifacts from the Early Dynastic Royal Tombs of Ur in Mesopotamia are a... more The many gold and silver artifacts from the Early Dynastic Royal Tombs of Ur in Mesopotamia are among the greatest metal finds of Ancient Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC. Within the framework of a research project, 32 of these artifacts were analyzed for their composition using a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and a scanning electron microscope. Predominantly gold-silver alloys rather than pure gold were identified, containing up to 50 wt.% of silver and often with additional copper content well above 10 wt.%. This spectrum of composition ranges from alloys that could be of natural origin to alloys that were intentionally produced. Some gold artifacts were deliberately blended to gold-silver-copper alloys for color gradation. In addition, Sumerian written sources from the end of the third millennium BC can be compared to the results of the analyses of this study and offer more information on the processing of these metals at that time. In the present study, it is sh...
L’article presente onze lingots de cuivre romains decouverts en mer a la fin de l’ete 2009 au lar... more L’article presente onze lingots de cuivre romains decouverts en mer a la fin de l’ete 2009 au large de Sete (Herault). L’etude typologique et epigraphique ainsi que les analyses isotopiques du plomb effectuees sur ces lingots permettent de les attribuer aux mines du Sud-Ouest de la peninsule Iberique. Le site de Plage de la Corniche 6 vient s’ajouter a la dizaine d’epaves et de gisements sous-marins ayant livre des lingots de cuivre romains au large des cotes de Languedoc-Roussillon. L’ensemble de ces lingots, qui sont eux aussi d’origine hispanique et proviennent de diverses regions minieres du sud de la Peninsule, est presente a la fin de l’article.
Reports is aimed at archaeologists and scientists engaged with the application of scientific tech... more Reports is aimed at archaeologists and scientists engaged with the application of scientific techniques and methodologies to all areas of archaeology. The journal focuses on the results of the application of scientific methods to archaeological problems and debates of wide interest. It provides a forum for reviews and scientific debate of issues in scientific archaeology and their impact in the wider subject. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports publishes papers of excellent archaeological science. Case studies, reviews, and short papers are welcomed where an established or new scientific technique sheds light on archaeological questions and debates. The research must be demonstrably contextualised within national and/or international contexts. The application of analytical techniques must be underpinned by clear archaeological or methodological research questions and set within established and/or developing research frameworks. Submission of papers focused around the analysis of single or small numbers/groups of objects is strongly discouraged, unless of exceptional quality and international significance. Datasets must be statistically robust.
his study represents a joint pilot project between archaeological and natural sciences, aimed at ... more his study represents a joint pilot project between archaeological and natural sciences, aimed at exploring the technology and provenance of gold artefacts, exempliied for the case of Georgia. It is focussed on the prehistoric gold mine of Sakdrisi. he study included the investigation of both Bronze Age gold artefacts and native gold by chemical and lead isotope analyses using ICP-mass spectrometry. he analyses of the artefacts indicate that the gold which was used to manufacture the artefacts was alloyed with variable amounts of silver. Beside silver, the concentrations of platinum, osmium, and other trace elements in the gold are low. In addition to the analysis of the chemical composition, lead isotope analyses also provided insights into the provenance of the gold artefacts from the region Georgia-Anatolia-Armenia. No sophisticated treatment of the gold could be detected. Résumé : Ce travail est un projet pilote entre les sciences archéologiques et les sciences naturelles, dont le but est d'explorer les technologies et la provenance d'objets en or, présentés ici dans le cas de la Géorgie et, plus particulièrement, de la mine d'or préhistorique de Sakdrisi. Cette étude comporte l'analyse chimique et isotopique, au moyen de la technique ICP-MS, aussi bien d'objets en or datant de l'Âge du Bronze que d'or natif. L'analyse des objets a montré que l'or utilisé dans leur fabrication était allié à des concentrations variées d'argent. À côté de l'argent, les concentrations de platine, d'osmium et d'autres éléments trace de l'or sont faibles. En plus de l'analyse de la composition chimique, l'analyse des rapports isotopiques du plomb a fourni des indications sur la provenance des objets en or de la région Géorgie-Anatolie-Arménie. Aucun traitement élaboré de l'or n'a pu être identiié.
ABSTRACT In the article, we present 13 sawn-off cones roman copper ingots after their submarine d... more ABSTRACT In the article, we present 13 sawn-off cones roman copper ingots after their submarine discovery in july 2004. Lead isotope analysis indicate they originate from the mines of the area of los pedroches, in Sierra Monera (south Spain). Most of the ingots have the same stamp, which is the abridged name of the productor (soc. amat) and still unidentified. To enlarge our knowledge of origines and trading routes of metal during antiquity, we must enrich lead isotope databases. these information must be compared with the ones given by history and archeology on the same subject.
A total of 50 cosmetic pigments from the Royal Cemetery of the Sumerian city of Ur, Mesopotamia, ... more A total of 50 cosmetic pigments from the Royal Cemetery of the Sumerian city of Ur, Mesopotamia, now in the collections of the Penn Museum, Philadelphia, were investigated for their mineralogical, inorganic, organic and lead isotope composition. The aim of this study was to investigate the making of the pigments and to search for the origin of the material used. Main components of the green pigments were green secondary copper minerals mixed with white hydroxyapatite from bones. Copper acetates and formic acids were detected and the formation of verdigris is discussed. Black pigments mostly consist of black manganese minerals. White pigments were made of oxidized white lead minerals, while in red pigments hematite was detected. Vegetable oil or animal fats were detected in a majority of the pigment samples analyzed, and it appears that the pigments were smoothly smeared into the (shell) containers as a paste, but the modern conservation of the pigments and decomposition of the organics hinders a clear identification of the original organic components. Chemical and lead isotope analyses point to a provenance of the coloring minerals from ore deposits in Oman, on the Iranian Plateau and in southeast Anatolia.
In order to assess the fractionation of copper isotopes during smelting under reconstructed condi... more In order to assess the fractionation of copper isotopes during smelting under reconstructed conditions, smelting experiments with chalcopyrite ore were conducted in built furnaces based on archaeometallurgical evidence from the Bronze Age Eastern Alps and ethnographic examples from Nepal. Two experimental series, S2 and S4 were chosen for analysis. Each series consisted of a number of roasting and smelting experiments with different experimental parameters, and both series yielded metallic copper. Each type of experiment, their outcomes, and observations made during them are described in detail to facilitate future experimental work. Both series differ significantly in their outcome. XRD analyses and chemical analyses were carried out to reveal the reasons for the observed differences. The chemistry of the obtained matte shows that roasting is pivotal for a successful smelting process and that two cycles of matte roasting and subsequent smelting can be sufficient to remove most of ...
Archäometrische Isotopenuntersuchungen an archäologischen Objekten sind mittlerweile als eine Rou... more Archäometrische Isotopenuntersuchungen an archäologischen Objekten sind mittlerweile als eine Routineanwendung in der Archäologie zu betrachten. Die in diesem Zusammenhang bekannteste ist die Blei isotopenmethode, die mithi lfe der Geochronologie, also der Bestimmung des geologischen Alters von Gesteinen und Erzmineralen, erlaubt, einen direkten Zusammenhang zwischen Metal lobjekten und deren Erzvorkommen herzustel len. Dies dient in der Archäologie dazu, fundierte Argumente für archäologische Strukturen wie politische oder wirtschaftl iche (Handels)beziehungen, technische Innovationen und deren regionale oder überregionale Verbreitung, die Zirkulation von Material sowie die Unterscheidung von regional kleinräumiger Abtrennung gegen interkulturel le Öffnung von Gesellschaften zu definieren. Das Gelingen der Isotopenmethode hängt von einigen wichtigen Voraussetzungen ab: (1 ) Die Isotopie des Erzes darf sich unter Experimentel le Archäologie in Europa 1 8 – Jahrbuch 201 9, S. 47-60 K...
Until today, raw material information of copper (Cu) objects is mostly gained from impurities and... more Until today, raw material information of copper (Cu) objects is mostly gained from impurities and trace elements and not from the Cu itself. This might be obtained using its stable isotopes. However, isotopic fingerprinting requires the absence of fractionation during the smelting process. The Cu isotope evolution during outdoor smelting experiments with Cu sulphide ore was investigated. It is shown that external materials, in particular furnace lining, clay, manure and sand, alter the isotopic composition of the smelting products. Cu isotopes are fractionated within low viscosity slag derived from matte smelting. The produced metallic Cu has a Cu isotope signature close to the ore.
El trabajo vuelve sobre dos lingotes ya conocidos, salidos a la luz recientemente, su epigrafía y... more El trabajo vuelve sobre dos lingotes ya conocidos, salidos a la luz recientemente, su epigrafía y sobre los análisis de isotopos de plomo que les atribuyen una procedencia hispánica y mas concretamente del Cinturón pirítico del suroeste peninsular. Son dos testimonios concretos de la vitalidad del comercio marítimo del cobre de esta zona de la Península durante el siglo II de nuestra era.
Este artículo presenta los resultados de los análisis isotópicos del plomo realizados en algunos ... more Este artículo presenta los resultados de los análisis isotópicos del plomo realizados en algunos de los 22 lingotes romanos de plomo y de cobre de Chipiona (Cádiz), estudiados en un primer artículo publicado en 2010 por la revista "Habis". El objetivo de dichos análisis era determinar la o las zonas de fabricación de los lingotes, que su estudio arqueológico y epigráfico orientaba hacia la Sierra Morena oriental para el plomo, la Faja Pirítica para el cobre. La arqueometría sólo confirma en parte estas conclusiones, designando una misma área, la Sierra Morena oriental, como lugar de procedencia del conjunto de lingotes.The paper presents the results of the lead isotope analyses made on some of the 22 Roman lead and copper ingots found in Chipiona (Cádiz), yet studied in a first article “Habis” published in 2010. The aim of such analyses was to precise the geographical origin of the ingots, as the archaeological and epigraphic study seems to indicate the Eastern part of Sie...
The skeletal remains of an individual were found in 2001 in the vicinity of the Roman open-air mu... more The skeletal remains of an individual were found in 2001 in the vicinity of the Roman open-air museum at »Villa Borg« near Oberleuken-Perl, Saarland. Radiocarbon analysis dated the feature to the 1st century AD. No belongings or grave goods were found. The osteological examination showed that the skeletal remains were those of an adult male. The bones bore no evidence of injury or disease, which meant that it was not possible to determine the cause of death. Whilst the carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were consistent with the local dietary range in the Roman period, the results of the strontium isotope analysis suggested that the individual had spent his childhood and adolescence elsewhere. The second molar of the left mandible exhibited a defect or cavity which contained a substance resembling filling material. Imaging techniques and material analyses were used to determine whether this was indeed a dental filling and to obtain information about the nature and composition of the ...
Le contenu de ce site relève de la législation française sur la propriété intellectuelle et est l... more Le contenu de ce site relève de la législation française sur la propriété intellectuelle et est la propriété exclusive de l'éditeur. Les œuvres figurant sur ce site peuvent être consultées et reproduites sur un support papier ou numérique sous réserve qu'elles soient strictement réservées à un usage soit personnel, soit scientifique ou pédagogique excluant toute exploitation commerciale. La reproduction devra obligatoirement mentionner l'éditeur, le nom de la revue, l'auteur et la référence du document. Toute autre reproduction est interdite sauf accord préalable de l'éditeur, en dehors des cas prévus par la législation en vigueur en France. Revues.org est un portail de revues en sciences humaines et sociales développé par le Cléo, Centre pour l'édition
Unserer Forschungsgruppe bot sich in den Jahren 1996−1998 die Gelegenheit, eine Auswahl von Metal... more Unserer Forschungsgruppe bot sich in den Jahren 1996−1998 die Gelegenheit, eine Auswahl von Metallgefasen aus dem antiken Pompei makroskopisch zu untersuchen und Materialproben zu entnehmen. Allgemein bekannt ist, dass die Stadt am 24. August und in den darauffolgenden Tagen des Jahres 79 n. Chr. infolge eines verheerenden Ausbruchs des Vulkans Vesuv untergegangen und nahezu vollkommen verschuttet worden war. Damit ist fur die gesamte materielle Hinterlassenschaft ein bedeutender chronologischer Fixpunkt gegeben. In den Magazinen der Soprintendenza Archaeologica di Pompei werden heute 1 678 Gefase und Gefasfragmente aus Kupfer und Kupferlegierungen aufbewahrt, daneben auch mehrere Kisten mit deformierten Gefasfragmenten, die Folge eines Bombardements der Royal Air Force im Jahre 1943, bei dem etliche Gebaude beschadigt wurden und das Antiquarium zerstort worden war. Fur den uberwiegenden Teil des Inventars lasst sich noch der ursprungliche Fundort innerhalb der Wohnbebauung (Tassina...
Young researchers from different institutions and educational backgrounds study and work in the f... more Young researchers from different institutions and educational backgrounds study and work in the fields of archaeometry and conservation studies. Due to the varying methodological and analytical approaches, mutual exchange and networking particularly among students and young researchers in general is rendered difficult. The 1st workshop for young researchers in archaeometry and conservation studies aims to close this gap and invites all young researchers to present their work in a convenient/relaxed atmosphere and to discuss among peers. Contributions should focus on analytical studies of archaeological materials or on institutions carrying out research in archaeometry and/or conservation studies. Two discussion rounds offer the possibility for mutual exchange about chances and opportunities in supporting and promoting young researchers.
The paper presents lead and copper isotope analyses of 51 copper ore samples from the Sierra More... more The paper presents lead and copper isotope analyses of 51 copper ore samples from the Sierra Morena, South of Spain. They are from ancient mines of the Iberian Peninsula collected by Claude Domergue during various field campaigns in the central Sierra Morena from 1965 to 1975. Most samples consist of copper oxide minerals such as malachite, azurite and chrysocolla and stem from the surficial sections of the ore deposits. The aim of the study was to supplement the existing reference data bank on lead isotopic compositions of ancient copper mines from the Iberian Peninsula. This is particularly important for the Sierra Morena for which data exist mostly for lead-zinc but not for copper ores. The lead isotope ratios range from 18.165 to 19.712 (206Pb/204Pb), 0.797 to 0.859 (207Pb/206Pb) and 1.955 to 2.108 (208Pb/206Pb). Two separate fields can be distinguished with a major field intermediate between the ore deposits from SW and SE Spain and a second at higher 208Pb/206Pb values. Copper...
The reasons why the Western Mediterranean, especially Carthage and Rome, resisted monetization re... more The reasons why the Western Mediterranean, especially Carthage and Rome, resisted monetization relative to the Eastern Mediterranean are still unclear. We address this question by combining lead (Pb) and silver (Ag) isotope abundances in silver coinage from the Aegean, Magna Graecia, Carthage and Roman Republic. The clear relationships observed between 109 Ag/ 107 Ag and
Zeitschrift für Assyriologie und vorderasiatische Archäologie, 2018
The many gold and silver artifacts from the Early Dynastic Royal Tombs of Ur in Mesopotamia are a... more The many gold and silver artifacts from the Early Dynastic Royal Tombs of Ur in Mesopotamia are among the greatest metal finds of Ancient Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC. Within the framework of a research project, 32 of these artifacts were analyzed for their composition using a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and a scanning electron microscope. Predominantly gold-silver alloys rather than pure gold were identified, containing up to 50 wt.% of silver and often with additional copper content well above 10 wt.%. This spectrum of composition ranges from alloys that could be of natural origin to alloys that were intentionally produced. Some gold artifacts were deliberately blended to gold-silver-copper alloys for color gradation. In addition, Sumerian written sources from the end of the third millennium BC can be compared to the results of the analyses of this study and offer more information on the processing of these metals at that time. In the present study, it is sh...
L’article presente onze lingots de cuivre romains decouverts en mer a la fin de l’ete 2009 au lar... more L’article presente onze lingots de cuivre romains decouverts en mer a la fin de l’ete 2009 au large de Sete (Herault). L’etude typologique et epigraphique ainsi que les analyses isotopiques du plomb effectuees sur ces lingots permettent de les attribuer aux mines du Sud-Ouest de la peninsule Iberique. Le site de Plage de la Corniche 6 vient s’ajouter a la dizaine d’epaves et de gisements sous-marins ayant livre des lingots de cuivre romains au large des cotes de Languedoc-Roussillon. L’ensemble de ces lingots, qui sont eux aussi d’origine hispanique et proviennent de diverses regions minieres du sud de la Peninsule, est presente a la fin de l’article.
Reports is aimed at archaeologists and scientists engaged with the application of scientific tech... more Reports is aimed at archaeologists and scientists engaged with the application of scientific techniques and methodologies to all areas of archaeology. The journal focuses on the results of the application of scientific methods to archaeological problems and debates of wide interest. It provides a forum for reviews and scientific debate of issues in scientific archaeology and their impact in the wider subject. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports publishes papers of excellent archaeological science. Case studies, reviews, and short papers are welcomed where an established or new scientific technique sheds light on archaeological questions and debates. The research must be demonstrably contextualised within national and/or international contexts. The application of analytical techniques must be underpinned by clear archaeological or methodological research questions and set within established and/or developing research frameworks. Submission of papers focused around the analysis of single or small numbers/groups of objects is strongly discouraged, unless of exceptional quality and international significance. Datasets must be statistically robust.
his study represents a joint pilot project between archaeological and natural sciences, aimed at ... more his study represents a joint pilot project between archaeological and natural sciences, aimed at exploring the technology and provenance of gold artefacts, exempliied for the case of Georgia. It is focussed on the prehistoric gold mine of Sakdrisi. he study included the investigation of both Bronze Age gold artefacts and native gold by chemical and lead isotope analyses using ICP-mass spectrometry. he analyses of the artefacts indicate that the gold which was used to manufacture the artefacts was alloyed with variable amounts of silver. Beside silver, the concentrations of platinum, osmium, and other trace elements in the gold are low. In addition to the analysis of the chemical composition, lead isotope analyses also provided insights into the provenance of the gold artefacts from the region Georgia-Anatolia-Armenia. No sophisticated treatment of the gold could be detected. Résumé : Ce travail est un projet pilote entre les sciences archéologiques et les sciences naturelles, dont le but est d'explorer les technologies et la provenance d'objets en or, présentés ici dans le cas de la Géorgie et, plus particulièrement, de la mine d'or préhistorique de Sakdrisi. Cette étude comporte l'analyse chimique et isotopique, au moyen de la technique ICP-MS, aussi bien d'objets en or datant de l'Âge du Bronze que d'or natif. L'analyse des objets a montré que l'or utilisé dans leur fabrication était allié à des concentrations variées d'argent. À côté de l'argent, les concentrations de platine, d'osmium et d'autres éléments trace de l'or sont faibles. En plus de l'analyse de la composition chimique, l'analyse des rapports isotopiques du plomb a fourni des indications sur la provenance des objets en or de la région Géorgie-Anatolie-Arménie. Aucun traitement élaboré de l'or n'a pu être identiié.
ABSTRACT In the article, we present 13 sawn-off cones roman copper ingots after their submarine d... more ABSTRACT In the article, we present 13 sawn-off cones roman copper ingots after their submarine discovery in july 2004. Lead isotope analysis indicate they originate from the mines of the area of los pedroches, in Sierra Monera (south Spain). Most of the ingots have the same stamp, which is the abridged name of the productor (soc. amat) and still unidentified. To enlarge our knowledge of origines and trading routes of metal during antiquity, we must enrich lead isotope databases. these information must be compared with the ones given by history and archeology on the same subject.
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Papers by Sabine Klein