The article discusses the chemical composition of
56 glass samples from 52 beads found in Poland ... more The article discusses the chemical composition of 56 glass samples from 52 beads found in Poland at 13 archaeological sites (mainly cemeteries). The artefacts have been dated to the II–V period of the Bronze Age (=phases BzB– HaB; c. 1600–750/700 BC). The LA-ICP-MS method was applied. Two groups were distinguished in this assemblage based on a comparison of the MgO to K2O ratio in glass: (i) high magnesium glass (HMG)—23; and (ii) low magnesium and high potassium glass (LMHK)—33 (29 matrix glass specimens and 4 decorative). In southern Poland, beads made of HMG and LMHK are often found in the same cemeteries. Analyses have shown that HMG was most probably made in Mesopotamia and that at least one cobalt glass is of Egyptian provenance. LMHK glass was made in Europe, most probably in Italy. Also, Italy was the most probable transit point for artefacts made of HMG en route to East-Central Europe.
Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)
is one of modern instrume... more Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is one of modern instrumental methods, which use in elemental analysis of cultural heritage objects has recently noticeably increased. The method requires almost no sample preparation and permits direct analysis of solid samples, availing only minute amount of the material. The micro-destructiveness of ablation processes remains usually within the scale acceptable for art historians, conservators, archaeologists and art curators, therefore the capability to perform multi-elemental, ultra trace and isotopic analysis can be fully used during studies of cultural heritage objects. The lack of appropriate matrix-matched certified reference materials and the fractionation effects, which may influence the final quantitative results to a different extent, are widely reported among the main limitations of LA-ICP-MS. Despite these constrains, LA-ICP-MS is a method that can be flexibly tuned to collect the desired elemental information about various cultural heritage objects. This paper focuses on advantages of using LA-ICP-MS in analysis of heterogeneous objects in respect of mapping of elemental distribution either during the onepoint or multi-line ablation executed directly from the surface of the investigated objects. The use of LA-ICP-MS allowed collection of chemical information availing reconstruction of distribution patterns, which reflected important structural characteristic of the small gilded decoration produced in mediaeval times (collection of Gallery of Medieval Art, the National Museum in Warsaw) and archaeological “metal-in-glass”/“sandwich” bead (Nubian collection, the Museum of Archaeology University of Stavanger, Norway). The mediaeval decoration was identified as the gilded (Ag+Au) copper object, which due to corrosion and re-painting has lost their original appearance. The bead was produced from two various types of glass and a metal foil (Ag+Au+Cu) between them. In both cases LA-ICP-MS was used successfully to determine the main elemental composition and to collect information about elemental distribution in the investigated artifact.
The article discusses the chemical composition of
56 glass samples from 52 beads found in Poland ... more The article discusses the chemical composition of 56 glass samples from 52 beads found in Poland at 13 archaeological sites (mainly cemeteries). The artefacts have been dated to the II–V period of the Bronze Age (=phases BzB– HaB; c. 1600–750/700 BC). The LA-ICP-MS method was applied. Two groups were distinguished in this assemblage based on a comparison of the MgO to K2O ratio in glass: (i) high magnesium glass (HMG)—23; and (ii) low magnesium and high potassium glass (LMHK)—33 (29 matrix glass specimens and 4 decorative). In southern Poland, beads made of HMG and LMHK are often found in the same cemeteries. Analyses have shown that HMG was most probably made in Mesopotamia and that at least one cobalt glass is of Egyptian provenance. LMHK glass was made in Europe, most probably in Italy. Also, Italy was the most probable transit point for artefacts made of HMG en route to East-Central Europe.
Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)
is one of modern instrume... more Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is one of modern instrumental methods, which use in elemental analysis of cultural heritage objects has recently noticeably increased. The method requires almost no sample preparation and permits direct analysis of solid samples, availing only minute amount of the material. The micro-destructiveness of ablation processes remains usually within the scale acceptable for art historians, conservators, archaeologists and art curators, therefore the capability to perform multi-elemental, ultra trace and isotopic analysis can be fully used during studies of cultural heritage objects. The lack of appropriate matrix-matched certified reference materials and the fractionation effects, which may influence the final quantitative results to a different extent, are widely reported among the main limitations of LA-ICP-MS. Despite these constrains, LA-ICP-MS is a method that can be flexibly tuned to collect the desired elemental information about various cultural heritage objects. This paper focuses on advantages of using LA-ICP-MS in analysis of heterogeneous objects in respect of mapping of elemental distribution either during the onepoint or multi-line ablation executed directly from the surface of the investigated objects. The use of LA-ICP-MS allowed collection of chemical information availing reconstruction of distribution patterns, which reflected important structural characteristic of the small gilded decoration produced in mediaeval times (collection of Gallery of Medieval Art, the National Museum in Warsaw) and archaeological “metal-in-glass”/“sandwich” bead (Nubian collection, the Museum of Archaeology University of Stavanger, Norway). The mediaeval decoration was identified as the gilded (Ag+Au) copper object, which due to corrosion and re-painting has lost their original appearance. The bead was produced from two various types of glass and a metal foil (Ag+Au+Cu) between them. In both cases LA-ICP-MS was used successfully to determine the main elemental composition and to collect information about elemental distribution in the investigated artifact.
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Papers by Luiza Kępa
56 glass samples from 52 beads found in Poland at 13 archaeological
sites (mainly cemeteries). The artefacts have been
dated to the II–V period of the Bronze Age (=phases BzB–
HaB; c. 1600–750/700 BC). The LA-ICP-MS method was
applied. Two groups were distinguished in this assemblage
based on a comparison of the MgO to K2O ratio in glass: (i)
high magnesium glass (HMG)—23; and (ii) low magnesium
and high potassium glass (LMHK)—33 (29 matrix glass specimens
and 4 decorative). In southern Poland, beads made of
HMG and LMHK are often found in the same cemeteries.
Analyses have shown that HMG was most probably made in
Mesopotamia and that at least one cobalt glass is of Egyptian
provenance. LMHK glass was made in Europe, most probably
in Italy. Also, Italy was the most probable transit point for
artefacts made of HMG en route to East-Central Europe.
Nubia by Luiza Kępa
is one of modern instrumental methods, which use in elemental analysis of cultural
heritage objects has recently noticeably increased. The method requires almost no
sample preparation and permits direct analysis of solid samples, availing only minute
amount of the material. The micro-destructiveness of ablation processes remains
usually within the scale acceptable for art historians, conservators, archaeologists
and art curators, therefore the capability to perform multi-elemental, ultra trace and
isotopic analysis can be fully used during studies of cultural heritage objects. The
lack of appropriate matrix-matched certified reference materials and the fractionation
effects, which may influence the final quantitative results to a different extent,
are widely reported among the main limitations of LA-ICP-MS. Despite these constrains,
LA-ICP-MS is a method that can be flexibly tuned to collect the desired
elemental information about various cultural heritage objects.
This paper focuses on advantages of using LA-ICP-MS in analysis of heterogeneous
objects in respect of mapping of elemental distribution either during the onepoint
or multi-line ablation executed directly from the surface of the investigated
objects. The use of LA-ICP-MS allowed collection of chemical information availing
reconstruction of distribution patterns, which reflected important structural characteristic
of the small gilded decoration produced in mediaeval times (collection
of Gallery of Medieval Art, the National Museum in Warsaw) and archaeological
“metal-in-glass”/“sandwich” bead (Nubian collection, the Museum of Archaeology
University of Stavanger, Norway). The mediaeval decoration was identified as the
gilded (Ag+Au) copper object, which due to corrosion and re-painting has lost their
original appearance. The bead was produced from two various types of glass and
a metal foil (Ag+Au+Cu) between them. In both cases LA-ICP-MS was used successfully
to determine the main elemental composition and to collect information
about elemental distribution in the investigated artifact.
56 glass samples from 52 beads found in Poland at 13 archaeological
sites (mainly cemeteries). The artefacts have been
dated to the II–V period of the Bronze Age (=phases BzB–
HaB; c. 1600–750/700 BC). The LA-ICP-MS method was
applied. Two groups were distinguished in this assemblage
based on a comparison of the MgO to K2O ratio in glass: (i)
high magnesium glass (HMG)—23; and (ii) low magnesium
and high potassium glass (LMHK)—33 (29 matrix glass specimens
and 4 decorative). In southern Poland, beads made of
HMG and LMHK are often found in the same cemeteries.
Analyses have shown that HMG was most probably made in
Mesopotamia and that at least one cobalt glass is of Egyptian
provenance. LMHK glass was made in Europe, most probably
in Italy. Also, Italy was the most probable transit point for
artefacts made of HMG en route to East-Central Europe.
is one of modern instrumental methods, which use in elemental analysis of cultural
heritage objects has recently noticeably increased. The method requires almost no
sample preparation and permits direct analysis of solid samples, availing only minute
amount of the material. The micro-destructiveness of ablation processes remains
usually within the scale acceptable for art historians, conservators, archaeologists
and art curators, therefore the capability to perform multi-elemental, ultra trace and
isotopic analysis can be fully used during studies of cultural heritage objects. The
lack of appropriate matrix-matched certified reference materials and the fractionation
effects, which may influence the final quantitative results to a different extent,
are widely reported among the main limitations of LA-ICP-MS. Despite these constrains,
LA-ICP-MS is a method that can be flexibly tuned to collect the desired
elemental information about various cultural heritage objects.
This paper focuses on advantages of using LA-ICP-MS in analysis of heterogeneous
objects in respect of mapping of elemental distribution either during the onepoint
or multi-line ablation executed directly from the surface of the investigated
objects. The use of LA-ICP-MS allowed collection of chemical information availing
reconstruction of distribution patterns, which reflected important structural characteristic
of the small gilded decoration produced in mediaeval times (collection
of Gallery of Medieval Art, the National Museum in Warsaw) and archaeological
“metal-in-glass”/“sandwich” bead (Nubian collection, the Museum of Archaeology
University of Stavanger, Norway). The mediaeval decoration was identified as the
gilded (Ag+Au) copper object, which due to corrosion and re-painting has lost their
original appearance. The bead was produced from two various types of glass and
a metal foil (Ag+Au+Cu) between them. In both cases LA-ICP-MS was used successfully
to determine the main elemental composition and to collect information
about elemental distribution in the investigated artifact.