Advances in Archaeomaterials最新文献

{"title":"The origin and development of Chinese ceramic saggers","authors":"Junming Wu,&nbsp;Chao Lei,&nbsp;Yimei Jiang,&nbsp;Riqin Shan,&nbsp;Jinxia Hai,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2024.100028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2024.100028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>By combing and analyzing ancient literature, archaeological data, and test data, this paper systematically explores the origin, material, and development of the sagger firing process in ancient China. Saggers were first recorded in <em>Tao Ji</em> (Records on Ceramic) written by Jiang Qi in the Southern Song Dynasty. The word <em>sagger</em> was coined by Song Yingxing in <em>Tian Gong Kai Wu</em> of the Ming Dynasty. The development of saggers can be divided into three stages: the germination stage of the bowls and jars of saggers before the Eastern Jin Dynasty; the initial stage of perforated saggers from the late Eastern Jin Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty; and the development and maturity period of various saggers after the Sui Dynasty. The raw material recipe has gone from a single-component formula using refractory mud, clay, and other raw materials; to a two-component formula with clay as the matrix mixed with quartz sand or white clay; to multi-component formulas including white clay, black clay, and black and yellow sand. Loading and firing have undergone an evolution, from nested firing to single-box upward firing, to a combination of inner and outer boxes, and finally to branch ring covering firing. The evolution of saggar materials and firing methods reflects the improvement of saggar performance, which improves both the output and quality of ceramics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100028"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144290889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physicochemical characterization and a GIS analysis of the historical mortar of the masonry concerning a nineteenth-century monument","authors":"S. Lycourghiotis ,&nbsp;N.A. Kalapodis ,&nbsp;P.A. Kakavas-Papaniaros ,&nbsp;I. Iliopoulos ,&nbsp;E. Mantzana","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100056","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100056","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study provides a detailed physicochemical characterization of historical mortar from a nineteenth-century church in Ilia, near ancient Olympia (Peloponnese, Greece), a monument of high cultural and architectural significance currently undergoing restoration planning. Mortar samples were examined using polarized optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance, thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, microelectrophoresis, and equilibrium pH measurements of mortar–water suspensions. The analyses confirm that the material is a lime-based mortar with predominantly calcareous aggregates and minor aluminosilicate and iron-bearing phases. Petrographic observations revealed rounded aggregates of varying sizes, shrinkage cracks, and a layered binder microstructure that generates meso and macroporosity. This pore network facilitates capillary moisture rise, causing binder depletion and progressive deterioration, particularly in lower masonry sections. Surface chemistry data indicate a low electrical surface charge and slight acidity, suggesting limited vulnerability to direct corrosion from atmospheric pollutants such as SO₂ and NOx. These results underline the importance of using compatible repair mortars that replicate the texture, porosity, and composition of the original material, alongside moisture-management interventions at the masonry base. Petrographic and mineralogical evidence further associates the aggregates with nearby Gavrovo-Tripolis geotectonic formations, providing a local source reference for restoration materials. Combining GIS analysis with scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data also demonstrates that mortars used in the surrounding region during the same period share similar characteristics. To our knowledge, this is the first study to apply electrophoretic mobility and equilibrium pH measurements to historical mortars, offering novel insight into their surface properties. By integrating traditional mineralogical and petrographic techniques with advanced surface chemistry analyses, this work sheds light on the deterioration mechanisms of historic masonry mortars and delivers a comprehensive framework to guide the conservation and restoration of heritage structures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100056"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145467017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive analysis and study of the stratification phenomena of painted pottery unearthed from the Banpo site in China","authors":"Xinyuan Su ,&nbsp;Zhanhui Peng ,&nbsp;Tao Tan ,&nbsp;Huifang Liu ,&nbsp;Huiping Xing ,&nbsp;Baoying Liu ,&nbsp;Xiaolian Chao","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100054","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100054","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Historical information is preserved in cultural artifacts, particularly pottery, and scientific techniques are crucial for uncovering their past. This study presents a multi-method interdisciplinary analysis of painted pottery from the Banpo site of the Yangshao culture. Element profiles and XPS analyses reveal that variations in trivalent iron content, responsible for different hues, are due to diverse firing atmospheres during the kiln’s stack firing rather than the use of a masking layer or different clay types. XRD analysis revealed that the ceramic body was primarily composed of quartz and feldspar. SEM-EDS indicates that black regions at the pottery’s base resulted from carbon penetration, likely due to its use as cooking utensils. Pigment analysis shows the red pigment is mainly ocher, the black pigment is a symbiotic combination of pyrolusite and magnetite, and the white pigment is calcite. Thermal expansion analysis confirms that the pottery was fired at around 1010 °C, with color differences attributed to the kiln atmosphere rather than firing temperature, supporting a single firing process. This research provides essential data for enhancing our understanding of Banpo painted pottery, offering valuable insights into its production and usage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100054"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145099341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Technical ceramics from late period to Roman Kom Tuman (Memphis), Egypt, reveal collocation of multiple high-temperature industries","authors":"S. Ivanov ,&nbsp;I. Kovalev ,&nbsp;Th. Rehren","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Apart from palatial and military archaeological contexts, the Kom Tuman sector of ancient Memphis features an industrial area formed by several high-temperature production and processing workshops of different specializations, operating from the Late period (ca. 664 BCE–ca. 332 BCE) to Hellenistic and Roman times. The study of crucible fragments from these workshops identified a range of coexisting activities, including glass working and metalworking, as well as the primary production of Egyptian blue pigment. This paper provides evidence for these high-temperature industries, discussing both their respective produce and the technical ceramics employed. Analysis of the latter showed that craftspeople in Kom Tuman deliberately selected different types of clay to better fit the requirement of high-temperature production. Both glass and Egyptian blue industries employed crucibles made of calcareous fabric with an external Nile silt coating, while metallurgical activities relied on the use of Nile silt fabric only. Evidence for pottery production is conspicuously absent from these workshops, while evidence for local faience production is very limited.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100055"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145467016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Archaeometric Approaches to Red Ochre Exploitation in Neolithic Greece: From Kremasti-Kilada to Kitrini Limni and Beyond","authors":"Vasilios Melfos ,&nbsp;Anna Stroulia ,&nbsp;Nikolaos Kantiranis ,&nbsp;Margarita Melfou ,&nbsp;Jérôme Robitaille ,&nbsp;Laure Dubreuil ,&nbsp;Areti Chondroyianni-Metoki","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2026.100059","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2026.100059","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper approaches Greek Neolithic red ochres through three different archaeometric lenses. A macro lens zooms in on the site of Kremasti-Kilada, in the Kitrini Limni Basin, and examines its ochre nodules, their provenance, the ways they were processed, as well as the applications of the resulting colorant. A mid-range lens places the Kremasti materials within a regional framework by examining specimens uncovered at several neighboring sites in the same basin. Finally, a wide lens views red ochres from a broader Aegean perspective. Our comparative approach highlights some of the choices Greek Neolithic people made and did not make in the context of red ochre exploitation. Furthermore, it raises specific questions and hypotheses that can be explored with future systematic and contextual archaeometric investigations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100059"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147656518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decoding 19th-century marine ironwork: Metallurgical insights from shipwreck finds","authors":"Dana Ashkenazi ,&nbsp;Noam Iddan ,&nbsp;Deborah Cvikel","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100057","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100057","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shipwrecks provide valuable context for historical events, shedding light on trade connections, economic changes, naval battles, and evolution of technologies. Case studies of metallurgical characterization of 19th-century iron artefacts retrieved from shipwrecks off the Israeli coast revealed crucial information about composition, microstructure, and manufacturing processes, useful in dating and tracing the origin of the raw material.</div><div>Chemical analysis revealed the presence of alloying elements, indicating the type of iron, and the concentration of impurities, reflecting its quality. Microstructural examination revealed whether an item was produced by direct smelting, indirect puddling smelting, casting, or hot-forging. Imaging the welded zone disclosed the welding technique and quality.</div><div>The holistic metallurgical characterization employed gives a clear understanding of the materials and technologies of the period, their evolution over time, and the broader cultural and historical contexts in which they were developed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100057"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147849534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gold and sweat: A science-based investigation of the Chinese method of black patination","authors":"A. Benzonelli ,&nbsp;I.C. Freestone ,&nbsp;J. Lin ,&nbsp;M. Martinón-Torres","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2026.100058","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2026.100058","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The patination of copper alloys using chemical means to turn their surfaces black is well-documented historically in China and Japan, and purportedly used in ancient Egypt, Greece, Mycenae, and the Roman world, but we know remarkably little about the origins and eventual transmission of this technology. To solve this question, there is the need to compare the materials and technologies used in different cultures, as well as to understand the corresponding patination mechanisms. Here we present the results of an experimental and analytical project that sought to reproduce and study a traditional patination method recorded in China. This involved the patination of copper alloys containing small amounts of precious metals, which were coloured by natural sweat through handling. Based on the analysis by colorimetry, OM, pXRF, SEM-EDS, XRD, Raman, and UV–VIS spectroscopy of experimental tokens and historic artefacts at the British Museum, we explain the effects of tin, silver and gold in the colour and texture of the black patinated materials, as well as the role of sweat and handling. We propose a detailed explanation for the mechanism of patination by handling, making emphasis on the role of precious metals and tin in the patina formation, and present a model of patination that will allow for comparison with patinated materials from other regions and periods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"6 ","pages":"Article 100058"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147536720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"","authors":"Jianjun Mei","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2022.10.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2022.10.001","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100019"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144290888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying recipes of historical cupels from Yunnan, China","authors":"Ao Sun,&nbsp;Huimin Wu,&nbsp;Tian Liu,&nbsp;Yuchen Wang,&nbsp;Siran Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100044","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100044","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cupellation was the most important silver extraction technology in the ancient world. No later than the Han Dynasty, China adopted cupellation in silver extraction. However, the cupel, the most significant physical evidence of this process, is not frequently identified archaeologically in China and is rarely analyzed to reconstruct the technology and material characteristics of the process. Here we present new findings from the sites of Beiyachang and Baixiangchang in Dali, Yunnan. Five used cupel fragments from the two sites were generally dated to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Chemical and microscopic analyses show that the cupels were made primarily of a mixture of bone ash (∼30–50 wt %) and plant ash (∼50–70 wt %). Intriguingly, Chinese historical documents recorded only plant ash as the raw material of cupels and did not mention bone ash until the nineteenth century AD. Thus the current analytical result provides the first physical evidence of cupels made with a bone ash and plant ash mixture in historical China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100044"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143843288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigation on restoration materials and techniques on bronze artifacts using non-invasive imaging and spectroscopic methods","authors":"Wei Liu ,&nbsp;Pengyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Yuliang Zhao ,&nbsp;Na Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100043","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aia.2025.100043","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Archaeological bronze artifacts are often found in fragmented or damaged states during excavation, necessitating restoration before they can be displayed in exhibitions. However, many early restoration works lack detailed documentation, posing significant challenges for museum conservators and scientists who want to reanalyze these restored artifacts. Reconstructing past restoration processes via scientific analysis is becoming a fundamental job. Previous studies on restoration materials and techniques for bronze artifacts have mostly relied on micro-analytical and invasive techniques, which are limited in providing comprehensive restoration information about artifacts as a whole. The present study employed imaging techniques, including macro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray radiography, and ultraviolet-induced visible luminescence imaging, in combination with Raman spectroscopy and fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy, to investigate two bronze artifacts dated to the early Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BCE) in the collection of the National Museum of China. The results indicated that one of the artifacts, a bronze vessel (<em>yan</em>), exhibited extensive surface cracks and a large missing piece, which had been repaired using a copper plate joined with tin-lead soldering. Both artifacts showed evidence of surface retouching with pigments such as lithopone, lazurite, phthalocyanine blue, barium white, and chrome yellow. Lithopone, in particular, helps researchers estimate the restoration period of these artifacts, providing valuable insight into their conservation history. The integration of imaging and spectroscopic techniques proves to be an effective approach for characterizing the restoration materials and techniques applied to bronze artifacts, helping conservators in assessing the condition of restored bronze artifacts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100038,"journal":{"name":"Advances in Archaeomaterials","volume":"5 ","pages":"Article 100043"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143526929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}