ABSTRACT The increasingly close integration of analytical techniques in the study of Greek and Roman wall paintings has shown that Egyptian blue was a common pigment, widely documented in the production of blue and greenish hues in ancient painted production. This study reports on a peculiar use of this synthetic pigment identified in wall‐painting fragments recovered from secondary deposits at the Roman villa of “Torre di Pordenone” (Friuli‐Venezia‐Giulia, northeast Italy). The site yielded numerous finely executed fragments with marine‐themed motifs, interpreted as part of a painted fishpond. These remains, dated between late 1 st c. CE and the first half of the 2 nd c. ce according to stylistic features, contribute to the reconstruction of the villa 's exceptionally rich decorative program. A distinctive feature is the uncommon use of raw materials in both the preparation mortars and painted layers. Transmitted polarized light optical microscopy (TPL–OM), combined with scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS), was used for the petro‐mineralogical and microchemical characterization of the mortars. Reflected light optical microscopy (RL‐OM), X‐ray powder diffraction (XRPD), SEM–EDS, micro‐Raman, and micro‐X‐Ray Fluorescence (micro‐XRF) analyses revealed traces of Egyptian blue both on the surface and within the intonachino layer, with coarse cuprorivaite grains detected up to 3.0 mm below the surface. This distribution is not compatible with the penetration of pigments in fresco painting but indicates the deliberate mixing of Egyptian blue with lime, consistent with the practice of the “pigmented mortar,” used to obtain homogeneous, pale blue tones for the marine background. Therefore, this case represents a rare example of Roman “blue lime‐painted mortar,” more commonly achieved with ochre pigments, and prompts renewed discussion on the availability of Egyptian blue in Roman markets, thus contributing to a more nuanced understanding of its distribution, accessibility, and technological standardization within Roman material culture.
ABSTRACT New analytical data of the so‐called Hemmoor buckets, a group of brass vessels from the Roman period of the 2nd to 3rd century ad that are widespread throughout central and eastern Europe, show considerable similarities with the polymetallic Cévennes ore deposits in south‐eastern France in terms of their geochemical characteristics and lead isotope ratios. The consistency of the analytical data collected in this work with those of brass ingots from a shipwreck off the Corsican coast near Aléria, additional literature data for Roman brass, and the presumed brass industry at nearby Lyon allows us to assume the wider Massif Central region as a possible centre of brass production in the Roman period. Furthermore, the newly collected data allow to exclude other deposit areas previously associated with Roman brass production.
ABSTRACT Functional analysis is essential for reconstructing lithic tool use. Recent approaches combining confocal microscopy and surface texture analysis provide quantitative alternatives to traditional visual use‐wear analysis, although their application to coarse‐grained, heterogeneous rocks remains challenging because of their complex surface microtopography. This study addresses these limitations through an exploratory experimental framework focused on basalt and phonolite tools used on different contact materials and motions. Classification improved when analyses targeted the amorphous matrix, used higher magnification objectives, intermediate measurement areas (100 × 100 μm), standard filtering and sufficient surface samples per tool. Despite some overlap among categories, the results provide methodological guidance for quantitative texture analysis of volcanic rocks.
ABSTRACT This study scientifically analysed white pottery from the Suyang site. Compositional analysis revealed that the white pottery is characterised by rich CaO and MgO, existing as gehlenite and diopside according to XRD, reflecting the potter's intentional selection of clay raw materials. The pottery is yellowish‐white, with a dominant wavelength of 580–595 nm. The combined effect of calcareous clay, iron ion, high temperature and oxidising atmosphere gives the pottery its yellowish‐white appearance. By revealing the colouration and production mechanism of Ca‐rich white pottery in China's Central Plains, this study provides new evidence for understanding prehistoric white pottery.
ABSTRACT The alloy composition, microstructure, and lead isotope ratios of the bronze and lead–tin artifacts from Tomb No. M1 in Wangshanqiao Cemetery, Jingzhou, were analyzed to characterize the technical and resource features to reflect the diversity of metals used for the nobles of the Chu State. The results show that the alloy ratio of the bronze vessels from Tomb No. M1 in Wangshanqiao Cemetery is appropriate, with moderate tin content, and non‐forged vessels have higher lead content than forged vessels. There are also various attachment connection techniques, including casting and soldering. The standardization level of the production of other types of bronze artifacts is lower than that of the bronze vessels. In addition, tin, lead, and lead–tin alloys were used to produce artifacts. The metal ores used in the production of the metal artifacts from Tomb No. M1 in Wangshanqiao Cemetery were diverse, indicating the flow of various metal resources within the Chu State.
ABSTRACT Northeast China experienced long‐term mixed subsistence during periods of political transition, with resource conditions and livestock management varying regionally. This study examines the Yong'an site in Jilin Province. Based on taxonomic identification, quantitative analysis, and AMS‐ 14 C dating, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis was undertaken on 34 animal bone collagen samples to investigate animal diet, livestock husbandry, and local subsistence. AMS‐ 14 C dating constrains the analyzed faunal assemblage to 1379–1288 cal BP, broadly corresponding to the late Northern Dynasties–early Tang period and falling, in regional historical terms, within the period of Goguryeo control in this part of Northeast China. The faunal assemblage indicates subsistence centered on domestic mammals while retaining fishing and hunting components. Isotopic results show that roe deer (δ 13 C: −20.2‰ ± 0.3‰; δ 15 N: 4.6‰ ± 0.8‰; n = 3), bear (δ 13 C: −17.9‰; δ 15 N: 6.5‰; n = 1), and pigs (δ 13 C: −19.4‰ ± 1.9‰; δ 15 N: 5.5‰ ± 1.3‰; n = 10) relied mainly on C 3 resources; horses (δ 13 C: −14.7‰ ± 3.0‰; δ 15 N: 5.7‰ ± 1.5‰; n = 5) and cattle (δ 13 C: −15.2‰ ± 3.8‰; δ 15 N: 5.9‰ ± 1.3‰; n = 5) exhibited mixed C 3 /C 4 dietary patterns; and dogs (δ 13 C: −11.9‰ ± 3.2‰; δ 15 N: 7.7‰ ± 1.3‰; n = 10) showed greater C 4 input and higher‐δ 15 N food consumption through human‐associated feeding pathways. Differences in provisioning among domestic taxa indicate that livestock were not managed under a single provisioning regime. Pig diets were dominated by C 3 resources, with limited evidence for sustained millet‐derived C 4 input, suggesting management more consistent with free‐range or low‐input provisioning. Comparative pig isotope data from earlier and later Dongliao River Basin contexts show broadly similar low‐δ 13 C patterns, providing a diachronic regional reference for interpreting the Yong'an pattern as adaptive use of local C 3 resources under specific environmental settings.
ABSTRACT The following paper investigates ceramic production and signs of specialization in Rome and the wider region during the early first millennium bce , through an archaeometric approach using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), and complementary techniques. A total of 274 ceramic samples from six archaeological sites —four in Rome (Sant'Omobono, Caesar's Forum, Regia, and Palazzo Canevari), Gabii, and San Giovenale—were analyzed using NAA to reconstruct regional compositional patterns and production networks from the 8th to the 6th centuries bce . Within the NAA dataset, a subset of 15 samples belonging to a particular production, namely Impasto Chiaro‐Sabbioso pottery, was further investigated through thin‐section petrography (PLM), X‐ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) in order to refine interpretations of raw material selection, paste preparation, and firing technologies. Prevailing theories hold that specialized ceramic production was already established by the 8th century bce ; yet our results suggest that only at the very beginning of the 6th century bce , when clear evidence for widespread standardized recipes and specialized production strategies emerges. This suggests that early ceramic production in central Italy was characterized by flexible and overlapping technological traditions rather than by rigid specialization.
ABSTRACT Potsherds of cooking ware excavated at Bala Hissar archaeological site in Kabul were studied using X‐ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscope‐energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry (SEM‐EDS), Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray powder diffraction (XRPD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and optical microscopy. The sherds revealed to be talc‐tempered associated with clinochlore, calcite, dolomite, palygorskite and chromite. It is argued that talc‐schist has been most probably supplied from local talc deposits of Lalandar, located about 20 km southwest of the site. The phases identified and morphology of the crystals in the body of the potsherds suggest that they experienced firing temperatures exceeding 700°C.
ABSTRACT The inland rock‐cut site of Teniky, located in the Isalo massif of southern Madagascar, represents an exceptional archaeological context recently dated to the 11th–12th centuries ad , corresponding to the early phases of settlement on the island. Unlike most contemporaneous sites concentrated along the coast, Teniky is situated deep inland and is characterized by a unique monumental architecture, raising important questions about the nature of its occupation and its connections to wider exchange networks. This study presents the first large‐scale compositional analysis of glass vessels from Teniky and Madagascar, examining 218 vessel fragments and one bead using LA‐ICP‐MS. All samples correspond to plant‐ash glass but display marked chemical variability. Nine compositional groups can be identified, which likely reflect at least six distinct production systems. Comparison with published reference data suggests several probable regions of origin, including the Levant, Mesopotamia, Central Asia and possibly the northwestern Indian subcontinent. Rather than pointing to a single supply network, this diversity suggests that the Teniky assemblage reflects the convergence of multiple exchange circuits within the Indian Ocean world. Compared with the few data available on contemporaneous sites along the East African coast, Teniky stands out for the diversity of its glass assemblage, with production types rarely documented together at a single site. This pattern may reflect different processes, such as the inland movement of populations already connected to coastal trade, the arrival of new groups, or more sustained indirect links with coastal exchange hubs. Although the current dataset does not allow these scenarios to be clearly distinguished, the results show that inland regions of Madagascar were not isolated but were already integrated into wider exchange networks during the mediaeval period.
ABSTRACT Purplish‐blue granular materials from the “Five Stones” set excavated from a grave‐quelling jar in Late Han tomb M17 at Sanmenxia (Henan, China) were analyzed by OM, SEM‐EDS, and micro‐Raman spectroscopy. The results identify, for the first time, Chinese Purple, Chinese Blue, and Chinese Dark Blue as artificial Cengqing in a mortuary ritual context. Associated quartz, witherite, barite, tenorite, covellite, and minor calcite constrain possible raw materials and reaction residues, whereas dispersed gold and tremolite indicate deliberate cultural additions. Multiphase assemblages and residual reactants suggest incomplete, nonequilibrium high‐temperature processing, providing archaeometric evidence for early proto‐alchemical pyrotechnology in China.
ABSTRACT The conservation of decayed waterlogged ivory from the Sanxingdui site faces a dual challenge: structural collapse upon dehydration caused by capillary forces and microcracking during consolidation due to internal stress from conventional consolidants. Here, we report a novel dual‐crosslinking consolidant (APG) based on (3‐aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APTMS) and glyoxal for damage‐free consolidation of decayed waterlogged ivory. The APG employs mildly hydrolyzed APTMS to form a permeable, weakly bonded Si–O–Si network with minimal shrinkage stress, enabling safe infiltration and consolidation. Glyoxal dynamically crosslinks with APTMS via Schiff base chemistry, creating a reinforcing imine network that enhances mechanical strength. Upon penetrating the ivory's porous hydroxyapatite skeleton, the APG consolidant reinforces the structure through pore‐filling (reducing total pore volume by 39%), anchoring, and interfacial bonding, while maintaining color variations within acceptable limits (ΔE = 3.46). By adjusting glyoxal content, curing kinetics and storage stability can be finely controlled to suit conservation requirements. This study offers a rational siloxane‐Schiff base dual‐crosslinking strategy for the effective consolidation of waterlogged ivory and other fragile archaeological materials.
Stamped amphora handles produced on Rhodes during the Hellenistic period are well suited for archaeointensity studies because they often bear the names of annually appointed magistrates (eponyms) and fabricants, allowing dating to narrow time intervals. In this study, archaeointensity experiments were conducted on stamped Rhodian amphora handles recovered from the City of David and the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem (n = 17; success rate 41%), together with locally produced Hellenistic storage jars from the Givati Parking Lot excavation (n = 7; success rate 57%). The results provide new geomagnetic intensity datapoints for the eastern Mediterranean during the third to first centuries bce and confirm a sharp decline in field intensity during the early second century bce previously identified in Levantine datasets. The tightly dated Rhodian handles demonstrate the considerable potential of this artifact class for high-resolution archaeomagnetic research and for refining the chronology of individual stamped handles and their associated magistrates. Comparison with archaeointensity data from the southern Levant and the Balkans indicates coherent geomagnetic field behavior across distances of at least similar to 1500 km, supporting the use of broader regional compilations for archaeomagnetic dating. The results also contribute to refining the chronology of Hellenistic pottery from Jerusalem, including a storage jar recovered from the foundation of a glacis at the Givati Parking Lot that has been associated with the Seleucid Akra.
This paper presents a mineralogical analysis of 15 beads of the Formative Period (1500 bc-1000 ad) from the Caj & oacute;n and Santa Mar & iacute;a Valleys and the Western Aconquija Foothills (Southern Calchaqu & iacute;es Valleys, Northwestern Argentina). X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy identified turquoise, chrysocolla, opal, sodalite, calcite, aragonite and muscovite as primary constituents. The presence of non-local minerals shows that this region integrated the network of circulation and exchange that connected Northwestern Argentina, Northern Chile and Southern Bolivia, adding new evidence to better understand the long-distance contacts of the first agrarian populations.
This study shows an innovative approach to determine the origin of some Calabrian rocks quarried used in ancient times. Twenty-five quarries, distributed in all the Calabrian provinces (Southern Italy), were studied and sampled. Ten samples were taken from each quarry, for a total of 250 samples. The rocks, of sedimentary, magmatic and metamorphic type, were characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and transmitted polarized light optical microscopy (OM). Bibliographic data regarding the characterization of ancient quarries in Calabria are few and, when present, difficult to compare, and this project aims to fill this gap. The work uses a dual approach: The first is based on the processing of geochemical data of the rocks and the creation of discriminant diagrams by statistical techniques of multivariate analysis (LDA and PCA); the second is based on the implementation of a neural network trained using TensorFlow, which allows to identify the origin of the rocks by entering only the geochemical data of the rock related to the major elements. The implemented neural network and the software to use it are freely downloadable from the internet. Even if the neural network model alone has some limitations, which particularly concern some types of rocks high in calcium carbonate, the two approaches, when combined, allow for the easy resolution of the provenance problems of all the studied quarries.
This study aims to construct an epsilon-polylysine (EPL)-sodium alginate (SA) composite microcapsule system (EPL/OEO@SAM) via electrostatic composite-emulsification crosslinking method. The optimal preparation parameters were determined as 0.25% EPL concentration and 5 min reaction time, achieving a maximum EE of 34.24%. Multi-dimensional characterizations confirmed the successful formation of EPL-SA polyelectrolyte complexes and core-shell structure of composite microcapsules. Antibacterial tests showed that EPL/OEO@SAM had significantly enhanced inhibitory effects against all dominant wood-degrading microorganisms isolated from the Tianluoshan site, with the largest inhibition zone diameter of 32.67 +/- 2.52 mm against Trichoderma breve (PM2). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 0.64 g/L. This study provides a more efficient and durable antibacterial material for the in situ conservation of waterlogged wooden cultural relics.
ABSTRACT The alteration of archaeological bone color can be produced by environmental factors and by anthropic action. Red‐colored staining of animal remains from the late Holocene Arroyo Napostá Grande B2BN archaeological site (Argentina) is analyzed. The results of FTIR spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, and electronic microscopy SEM–EDX analysis are concordant in revealing the presence of hematite (Fe 2 O 3 ) and goethite (FeO (OH)) on the red sectors of the bone. Equifinality of the natural and cultural origin is discussed considering the presence of Fe 2 O 3 in the strata and the use of hematite as pigment by regional hunter‐gatherers.
The partial digital reconstruction of the Shroud of Turin by Moraes does not substantiate the low‐relief hypothesis, medieval or otherwise. The study relies on ambiguous aims, methodological flaws, and fallacious reasoning. By omitting essential features of the artifact, it fails to advance understanding of the image formation process.
