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.
The response to the comments of Casabianca et al. (2025) aims to clarify interpretive misconceptions and reaffirm the methodological coherence of the study Image Formation on the Holy Shroud—A Digital 3D Approach . The presented criticisms disregard the declared scope of the research, which is strictly methodological in nature, focused on evaluating morphological deformation in the projection of the body onto fabric. The exclusive use of the frontal region, the choice of visual sources, and the historical contextualization based on tomb effigies are consistent with the proposed objective and find precedent studies. The response emphasizes the transparency of the data, the replicability of the experiment, and the legitimacy of the adopted scientific approach, refuting the allegations of conceptual or historical flaws.
Assessment of the degradation degree of archaeological bone samples constitutes a core foundation for studies in paleodemography, paleopathology, and taphonomy. Existing analytical methods are predominantly destructive, rendering them inapplicable to precious intact archaeological specimens or in situ analysis constrained by cultural relic conservation requirements. This study establishes a nondestructive in situ analytical method based on micro-Raman spectroscopy, enabling simultaneous quantitative evaluation of the degradation extent of both collagen and hydroxyapatite in archaeological bone, which fully complies with the nondestructive requirements of cultural relic conservation. A calibration curve linking the hydroxyapatite nu(1) PO43- band at 960 cm(-1) to the collagen CH2 scissoring band at 1454 cm(-1) was constructed with powdered HAp/collagen standards (R-2 = 0.995, n = 6). The model was validated on heat- and acid-degraded ovine femora that simulate archaeological diagenesis, furnishing reference thresholds for Shore-A hardness, compressive strength and SEM-derived porosity. Five preservation classes could thus be discriminated solely from the HAp/COL peak-area ratio. Blind evaluation of six human ribs spanning the Neolithic to Ming dynasties (n = 6, 3.8-7.4 wt% collagen) yielded preservation grades identical to those obtained by conventional assays while consuming < 0.1 mg of material for SEM corroboration. The 50 & times; 50-mu m MRS raster is portable, can be executed through glass in museum storage or in the field, and offers conservators a quantitative, truly noninvasive trigger for preventive treatment.
Bagan, often known as the "City of a Thousand Temples," became the capital of the ancient Pagan Kingdom in 849 ad. The region is home to a vast number of Buddhist monuments of great historical and cultural significance, among which the Thatbyinnyu Pagoda is one of the most representative. This study, based on the restoration project of the Thatbyinnyu Pagoda undertaken by the Chinese government from 2017 to 2023, employs multiple scientific analytical techniques-including X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), particle size analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, organic chemical titration, and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS)-to systematically investigate the microstructure and material characteristics of the lime mortar used in the Thatbyinnyu Pagoda. The analysis reveals that the mortar is composed of lime, sand, lithic fragments, and clay. Multiple organic identification methods collectively confirm the presence of starch and protein components in the mortar, while Py/GC-MS further identified resinous and fatty organic compounds, suggesting that the mortar can be classified as a lime-based mortar with organic additives. The practice of modifying lime-based materials through the addition of organic substances is relatively common across Asia, with numerous archaeological examples reported in regions such as China and India. This phenomenon is likely linked to the distinctive geographical conditions of the region and the widespread availability of agricultural and forestry resources. It is hypothesized that such composite mortar technology may have been introduced to the area through the transmission of Buddhist culture, population movements, and commercial trade, and was subsequently adapted and localized over time.
