{"title":"Rapid and high-resolution handheld X-ray backscatter subsurface imaging for field archaeology prediction","authors":"Changrong Shi, Minghao Dong, Yongshun Xiao, Wenzhong Xu, Zhiyong Lu, Yongjian Zhang, Chunbo Hu, Yanxin Shi, Bo Wang, Xifeng Ding","doi":"10.1111/arcm.13039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.13039","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Rapid acquisition of millimeter-resolution subterranean images can significantly improve the efficiency of archaeological excavation and facilitate the preservation of artifacts. For excavation sites with limited space, small and portable imaging equipment is necessary. Compton backscatter imaging (CBI) is a single-sided non-destructive testing technique, which typically requires a short scan time to obtain high-resolution images. It has great potential in archaeological excavation, supporting archaeologists to make quick judgments. This research utilized a compact, easy-to-carry handheld backscatter system, making it particularly suitable and beneficial for on-site archaeological excavation. Tests were performed in the framework of the excavation of a chariot pit at Dajuan Han Tomb in Xi'an (Shaanxi Province, China) to validate the applicability of this technique in imaging soil structure changes and detecting cultural artifacts. The experimental results show that CBI can clearly image bronze artifacts buried underground, which means practical value in archaeological excavation.</p>","PeriodicalId":8254,"journal":{"name":"Archaeometry","volume":"67 3","pages":"738-747"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143949876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Realizing high photothermal conversion efficiency in traditional Chinese purple (BaCuSi2O6) pigment","authors":"Maohao Yang, Wanyin Ge, Qian Zhang, Xin Xie, Zili Luo, Shifan Shang, Huating Diwu","doi":"10.1111/arcm.13040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.13040","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Chinese purple (CP), an ancient traditional pigment, represents the rich cultural and scientific heritage of an ancient civilization. To achieve high-purity CP pigment in a more economical and efficient manner, we synthesized CP using a low-temperature hydrothermal route. Interestingly, we observed the emergence of an emission peak at 894 nm in CP under irradiation at <i>λ</i><sub>ex</sub> = 650 nm. Additionally, it was noted that the CP powder exhibited a significant photothermal effect when exposed to near-infrared light irradiation. A photothermal conversion efficiency of 19% was achieved in the CP pigment. This study not only sheds light on the enigmatic nature of this ancient pigment but also highlights its potential as a critical photothermal conversion material.</p>","PeriodicalId":8254,"journal":{"name":"Archaeometry","volume":"67 3","pages":"710-721"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143950553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pig management revealed by geometric morphometric analysis at the late Neolithic and Bronze Age Dinggong site in China","authors":"Minghao Lin, Guanghui Zhang, Yanbo Song, Yifan Wang, Fangjie Ding, Fengshi Luan","doi":"10.1111/arcm.13037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.13037","url":null,"abstract":"<p>China was one of the earliest domestication centres for pigs in the Old World. Since their domestication, pigs have been significantly involved in human societies from both economic and ceremonial perspectives, so the investigation of pig domestication is key to understand the development process of ancient communities. However, the pig domestication process has not been fully explored in Shandong, one of the earliest regions for exploiting pig resources, such as canine teeth, in China. We use geometric morphometry to analyse the second lower molars of pigs associated with diverse periods, including the Longshan, Yueshi, and Shang and Zhou, at Dinggong, China. The results show that while there was a relatively consistent pig phenotype in this region from the Longshan to the Shang and Zhou periods, the centroid sizes of pigs experienced a moderate decrease over time. A certain number of wild boars were harvested by humans, but their proportions declined chronologically along with the gradually intensification of pig management. Apart from household refuse, fodders similar to the staple plants for humans were provisioned to those managed pigs, suggesting a close relationship between humans and pigs. In spite of more time and energy required for managing pigs, human societies could have benefited from this investment with a better secured meat supply and more ceremonial materials, which helped strengthen the human–pig bond from the Neolithic period to today.</p>","PeriodicalId":8254,"journal":{"name":"Archaeometry","volume":"67 3","pages":"699-709"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143950316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ArchaeometryPub Date : 2024-10-24DOI: 10.1111/arcm.13036
Biernacka Paulina, De Clercq Wim, Bonduel Elisa, Barnard Patrick, Mc Lean Duncan, Harding Rick, Poulain Maxime, Trachet Jan, Dewaele Stijn, De Grave Johan
{"title":"Fuelling the blacksmiths furnace: a multidisciplinary study into the use of ‘smithy’ coal in the iron-working industry of a late medieval harbour system, Bruges (Belgium)","authors":"Biernacka Paulina, De Clercq Wim, Bonduel Elisa, Barnard Patrick, Mc Lean Duncan, Harding Rick, Poulain Maxime, Trachet Jan, Dewaele Stijn, De Grave Johan","doi":"10.1111/arcm.13036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.13036","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Large amounts of iron slag were discovered during archaeological excavations in the late medieval harbour of Hoeke (Municipality of Damme, Belgium), one of the main outer harbours of Bruges. This waste product indicates the presence of 13th- to 14th-century pre-industrial metalworking activities, such as blacksmithing, which involved the production of iron objects and the repair of ships, as historically documented on this site. Besides the waste products from iron working, fragments of coal were also discovered within the same deposits, both as separate pieces and included in the slags, suggesting that coal was used as a fuel during these activities. This discovery resulted in a multidisciplinary study applying geochemical, palaeontological, and historical analyses that allowed to identify the provenance of the coal (Northumberland-Durham Coalfield) as well as to provide new insights into maritime coal trade during this period. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of pre-industrial craft practices in the Bruges harbour system and expands the knowledge of the fuel sources used in the late medieval harbour's iron-working activities.</p>","PeriodicalId":8254,"journal":{"name":"Archaeometry","volume":"67 3","pages":"682-698"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143950315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ArchaeometryPub Date : 2024-10-14DOI: 10.1111/arcm.13034
Cristina Boschetti, Jorge de Juan Ares, Sophie Gilotte, Catherine Guerrot, Nadine Schibille
{"title":"Evidence of glass bead-making in the early Islamic Iberian Peninsula","authors":"Cristina Boschetti, Jorge de Juan Ares, Sophie Gilotte, Catherine Guerrot, Nadine Schibille","doi":"10.1111/arcm.13034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.13034","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Glass beads from two Islamic archaeological sites in the Tagus valley in central Spain were selected and analysed by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), and a subset of samples (<i>n</i> = 6) was analysed for Pb isotopes by multicollector thermal ionization mass spectrometry (MC-TIMS). The analytical and isotopic data of the beads from Ciudad de Vascos (Toledo) and Albalat (Cáceres) demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that glass beads were produced in the Iberian Peninsula during the Islamic period using local Pb-silica and soda-rich plant-ash glass. The bead workshops in al-Andalus were evidently part of an efficient system of glass collection and recycling, and used only relatively simple bead-making techniques such as winding and folding. At present it is unclear to what extent the Islamic bead-makers in the Iberian Peninsula were involved in the international trade in glass beads or whether their products were mainly destined for a regional market. Despite local production, some samples show compositional and typological features that suggest the import of finished glass beads, perhaps from Central Asia.</p>","PeriodicalId":8254,"journal":{"name":"Archaeometry","volume":"67 2","pages":"364-379"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/arcm.13034","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143688945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ArchaeometryPub Date : 2024-10-11DOI: 10.1111/arcm.13032
Leticia Gasparotti, Rita Plá, Victoria Arévalo
{"title":"Application of instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to ceramics and clay sources for the late period (c. 950 years BP) in the Southern Argentine Puna: Interweaving sources, objects and practices","authors":"Leticia Gasparotti, Rita Plá, Victoria Arévalo","doi":"10.1111/arcm.13032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.13032","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The study of the raw materials used in the production of ceramic objects involves studying the materiality of the objects themselves while providing insights into the factors that guided the choice of a particular resource over another. Simultaneously, this article focuses on the social contexts in which these objects were produced. We present the results obtained through an instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of ceramics from the Corral Alto site (Antofagasta de la Sierra, Catamarca) of Argentina. The results suggest that most ceramic pieces were locally manufactured, contrasting with earlier periods and coinciding with the emergence of new ways of dwelling in the Southern Argentine Puna.</p>","PeriodicalId":8254,"journal":{"name":"Archaeometry","volume":"67 3","pages":"662-681"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143949741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ArchaeometryPub Date : 2024-10-10DOI: 10.1111/arcm.13033
Guofeng Wei, Jiahui Zhang, Zhao An, Yuhu Kang
{"title":"Characterization of historical mortar from Huilongguan temple site in Wudang Mountain, Hubei province, China","authors":"Guofeng Wei, Jiahui Zhang, Zhao An, Yuhu Kang","doi":"10.1111/arcm.13033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.13033","url":null,"abstract":"<p>As the royal Taoist buildings of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644 CE), the Huilongguan temple site of Wudang Mountain represents the highest level of art and architecture of that era. Thanks at least in part to the quality and durability of building mortar materials, the part buildings of the Huilongguan temple site are still well preserved after 500 years of erosion by wind and rain. The present study conducted muti-analytical techniques to explore the characterization of eight mortars from the Huilongguan temple site. The results indicate that the material formulae of these mortars from construction phases I–IV of the Ming dynasty were all sticky rice as the organic additive incorporated into the magnesian lime base, which originated from the calcination of dolomitic limestone. The contents of Ca carbonate in the studied mortar samples are about 39–66%; the design of mortar groundmass presents differences due to various building purposes. Different from sharp-edged rhombohedral calcite crystals of pure lime mortar, irregular nano-scale calcite crystals were found in the studied samples due to sticky rice slurry regulating the growth of Ca carbonate as an inhibitor and template, which formed more compact organic–inorganic composite microstructures.</p>","PeriodicalId":8254,"journal":{"name":"Archaeometry","volume":"67 3","pages":"642-661"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143949939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ArchaeometryPub Date : 2024-09-15DOI: 10.1111/arcm.13029
Katharina Zanier, Rok Brajkovič, Luka Gale, Matevž Novak
{"title":"Stone products of the Roman municipium of Neviodunum, Pannonia (modern Drnovo, Slovenia)","authors":"Katharina Zanier, Rok Brajkovič, Luka Gale, Matevž Novak","doi":"10.1111/arcm.13029","DOIUrl":"10.1111/arcm.13029","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The paper presents the lithologies used in the stone products of Neviodunum (modern Drnovo in Slovenia), a Roman municipium in south-western Pannonia. For this purpose, 95 stone monuments were assessed. Petrographic and biostratigraphic analyses were carried out on 56 archaeological and 57 geological samples. Our research shows that, besides some rare exceptions, most stone products refer to three lithostratigraphic units: the Middle Miocene ‘Lithothamnium’ Limestone Member of the Laško Formation, the Upper Cretaceous Krško Formation and the Early Jurassic Krka Limestone Member of the Podbukovje Formation.</p>","PeriodicalId":8254,"journal":{"name":"Archaeometry","volume":"67 2","pages":"284-312"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/arcm.13029","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142262687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ArchaeometryPub Date : 2024-09-09DOI: 10.1111/arcm.13030
Édouard Canot, Renaud Delannay, Calogero M. Santoro
{"title":"Physical analysis and inverse methods applied to archaeological FIRE replications on ATACAMA desert soils, northern Chile","authors":"Édouard Canot, Renaud Delannay, Calogero M. Santoro","doi":"10.1111/arcm.13030","DOIUrl":"10.1111/arcm.13030","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Physical analysis of <i>in situ</i> fire experiments on soils are useful for the estimation of subsurface thermal diffusivity, which is affected by factors such as water, heterogeneity and heating conditions. To address the uncertainties due to these factors, a new data-processing procedure based on inverse methods was developed and experimentally applied to soils from an archaeological site in the Atacama Desert, Chile. By combining experimental data and numerical simulations, we determined the dominant physical processes arising during the heating. The analysis succeeded in defining practical procedures to obtain a more accurate estimation of the diffusivities, thus reducing the above-mentioned uncertainties.</p>","PeriodicalId":8254,"journal":{"name":"Archaeometry","volume":"67 3","pages":"625-641"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/arcm.13030","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142218498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
ArchaeometryPub Date : 2024-08-29DOI: 10.1111/arcm.13023
Maria Emanuela Mascaro, Emma Cantisani, Marilena Ricci, Pasquino Pallecchi, Silvia Vilucchi, Maria Chiara Dalconi, Lara Maritan
{"title":"The production of terra sigillata in Arezzo, Central Italy: an archaeometric investigation","authors":"Maria Emanuela Mascaro, Emma Cantisani, Marilena Ricci, Pasquino Pallecchi, Silvia Vilucchi, Maria Chiara Dalconi, Lara Maritan","doi":"10.1111/arcm.13023","DOIUrl":"10.1111/arcm.13023","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This work deals with the archaeometric investigation on 25 fragments of <i>terra sigillata</i> (red-coated ceramic ware and moulds) found in the city of Arezzo, Tuscany (central Italy), and attributed to several important workshops from the first century BCE to the second century CE. Optical and spectroscopic techniques were used to analyse both the ceramic bodies and the red slips. All the potsherds showed a very fine-grained ceramic body, sharing similar mineralogical compositions, mainly consisting in quartz, plagioclase, pyroxene, hematite, K-feldspars, and illite/muscovite. The mineralogical data suggest that both the red-coated wares and the moulds were produced using the same calcareous-illitic clay and fired under oxidising conditions at temperatures between 850°C and 1000°C. A K-rich illitic clay with a Fe content around 10–15% (in wt%) was used to elaborate the slips. Al-substituted hematite was found in red slips by micro-Raman spectroscopy. Comparison of the chemical data with <i>terra sigillata</i> from other important production areas in Italy and from other regions of the Meditteranean Sea, allowed to define that the studied samples, locally produced in Arezzo, differ systematically from all others, although they show similarities with nearby Pisan productions as well as those Puteolan.</p>","PeriodicalId":8254,"journal":{"name":"Archaeometry","volume":"67 3","pages":"604-624"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/arcm.13023","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142218501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}