LA-ICP-MS

Apotropaic Symbolism Medusa was the only mortal among the Gorgons who could be killed. The hero Perseus beheaded her with a sickle, a curved blade, while she was asleep. To avoid looking directly at her, he used his metal shield to observe her reflection. Her severed head, known as a gorgoneion, had the power to ward off evil spirits, curses, and ill wishes. As a result, beads depicting her carry a special apotropaic meaning, helping to repel all forms of bad luck.

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. x Preface support for a few international travels, and to Banaras Beads Ltd. for logistic support for the live glass bead-making display during the conference.

In this study we report the first 87 Sr/ 86 Sr isotopic data and mobility analyses of the Pazyryk culture in Central Asia. Throughout prehistory the Altai Mountains represent a unique cultural frontier characterised by a perpetual state of transition, resulting from highly mobile nomadic inhabitants. We analysed human skeletal remains from barrows in the Manzherok region of the Altai Republic, Russian Federation. The analysis was based on 160 measurements of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr from Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS), in tandem with environmental samples and comparative animal material. The combined dating evidence and strontium isotopic values indicate that after the 5th century BC, residential mobility amongst Altaic nomads is rising, especially long-distance female mobility, leading to contact acquisition with extrinsic territories of Central Asia. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr isotopic evidence from Manzherok suggests that members of the Altaic population might have been buried in Scythian tombs located in Tuva and Khakassia, most notably in the Arzhan barrows.

Glass beads are among the oldest objects in the glassmaking industry. In West Africa, archaeo- logical glass beads are evidence of short-, medium- and long-distance trade within the continent and with the rest of the world, in relation to social and geopo- litical circumstances. As glass beads relate to many aspects of the everyday life of a community, the interest of their study lies in gaining evidence about technological aspects, socio-cultural contexts, and politico-economic background. We present here the techno-stylistic and chemical analysis of 945 glass beads found in 9 archaeological sites in Senegal, Mali, and Ghana dated between the 7th–5th c. BCE and the 18th–20th c. CE. The cross-referencing of the analytical results with archaeological and histori- cal data has made it possible to identify three main clusters relating to the provenance of the glass, the commercial partners involved, and the trade networks exploited.

Skeletal and non-skeletal components of marine sedimentary rocks have been analyzed for the purpose of reconstructing the rare earth element (REE) and yttrium (Y) compositions of paleo-seawater, but skeletal carbonates frequently have proven to be unreliable recorders of seawater chemistry. Here, we present a systematic multi-technique assessment of rare earth and other trace elements in ooid sands from the modern Great Bahama Bank (GBB-marine) and Great Salt Lake (GSL-continental) based on strong-acid (hydrofluoric and nitric) and weak-acid (acetic) digestions, as well as laser ablation (LA) of ooid cortices and nuclei. The results show that Bahamian ooid cortices possess shale-normalized REE + Y features nearly identical to those of shallow seawater, including limited contamination from siliciclastic REEs. An admixture of even 0.2% of detritally sourced material can modify the primary marine REE + Y patterns by, for example, increasing the light REE (LREE) content. Mean values of LA data for Bahamian ooid cortices exhibit similar REE + Y signatures to those produced by acetic acid digestion, but LA data are generally noisier, primarily as a result of low REE concentrations and the small volume of carbonate ablated in analysis. Screening out samples with ΣREE < 0.9 ppm reveals more uniform, seawater-like REE + Y patterns in individual ooid cortices as well as high, uniform REE distribution coefficients (116 ± 21, from La to Lu) with respect to ambient seawater. Ooid laminae show no distinct alternation between oxic and anoxic pore fluid characteristics, suggesting that growing ooids primarily formed under oxic conditions in carbonate shoal settings, even when buried during their resting phase. Unlike Bahamian ooids, shale-normalized REE + Y patterns of GSL ooids digested in weak acid show slightly depleted LREE compositions that may deviate from ambient fluids owing to release of REEs from an included clay fraction based on comparison between digestion and LA methods. Multiple ablation spots within the same cortex allowed direct comparison of more and less contaminated portions of a single ooid. Nearly uniform positive Ce anomalies may be related to strongly alkaline water conditions. Individual ablation spots that are partially overprinted by siliciclastic-derived REEs contain variable Zr contents (from 0.096 to ~4 ppm) and flattened shale-normalized LREE patterns. The least-contaminated GSL ooid cortex yields an LREE-depleted REE + Y distribution. Normalization of the REE + Y distributions of least-contaminated GSL ooids using reliable GBB ooid distributions (i.e., with ΣREE > 0.9 ppm) returns a flat pattern, suggesting similar degrees of LREE depletion controlled by carbonate complexation under similar aqueous alkalinity conditions in Great Salt Lake and Bahamian waters. In summary, ooids can be a reliable proxy for REE + Y characteristics of ambient surficial waters when adopting suitable analytical methods, including laser ablation, that allow the identification and isolation of a contamination signal from siliciclastic detritus.

This paper describes the chemical sourcing of 53 obsidian artefacts from Colle Cera, a large Neolithic village located in Loreto Aprutino (Abruzzo, Central Italy). Trace element analyses were carried out by the LA-ICP-MS method, an almost non-destructive analytical technique, capable of chemically characterising and establishing the definite origin and source area of archaeological artefacts. Twenty-seven trace and rare earth elements were analysed for each sample and their definite provenance was assigned: two sources in the peri-Tyrrhenian area, the islands of Lipari and Palmarola. riAssunto. -Nel presente lavoro viene determinata la provenienza di 53 reperti ossidianacei rinvenuti nel sito archeologico di Colle Cera, un importante villaggio Neolitico situato a Loreto Aprutino in Abruzzo (Italia Centrale). La concentrazione degli elementi in tracce e delle Terre Rare dei reperti è stata determinata utilizzando la metodologia analitica LA-ICP-MS, una tecnica che consente di caratterizzare chimicamente i reperti archeologici con minima distruttività. Le analisi puntuali hanno consentito di determinare per ciascun reperto la concentrazione (espressa in ppm) di ventisette elementi chimici e di attribuire una provenienza certa della materia prima. Tra le varie sorgenti dell'area peri-Tirrenica, possibili fonti di sfruttamento in età neolitica, solo due di esse sono state rinvenute come fonte dei reperti analizzati, si tratta delle isole di Lipari e Palmarola.

This poster summarizes a master's degree research conducted within the framework of the Al-Ula Cultural Oasis Project (UCOP), led by Archaïos, funded and steered by the French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA) on behalf of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). This research focuses on the uses of photographic documentation for the archaeological study of the Al-Ula oasis as well as on the valorization of its heritage buildings and archaeological sites through the prism of photography. The main objective of this work is to highlight the primary role of archaeological photography for the promotion and mediation of the Al-Ula palm grove. From old photographs of Fathers A. Jaussen and R. Savignac (Figure 1) to aerial photographs for remote sensing, photography is an integral part of the archaeological research process.

Magnetite is a common accessory phase in various types of ore deposits. Its trace element content has proven to have critical implications regarding petrogenesis and as guides in the exploration for ore deposits in general. In this study we use LA-ICP-MS (laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry) analyses of trace elements to chemically characterize magnetite from the Pagoni Rachi Cu–Mo–Re–Au porphyry-style prospect, Thrace, northern Greece. Igneous magnetite mostly occurs as euhedral grains, which are commonly replaced by hematite in fresh to propylitic-altered granodiorite porphyry, whereas, hydrothermal magnetite forms narrow veinlets or is disseminated in sodic/potassic-calcic altered (albite + K-feldspar + actinolite + biotite + chlorite) granodiorite porphyry. Magnetite is commonly associated with chalcopyrite and pyrite and locally exhibits martitization. Laser ablation ICP-MS analyses of hydrothermal magnetite yielded elevated concentrations in several tra...

Bulgaria has many primary and secondary outcrops of flint that would have been suitable for toolmaking in prehistory, though hitherto little attention has been paid to which sources were exploited by prehistoric people and how the flint was transferred from sources to settlements. Since 2010 we have made significant progress in flint provenancing using macro- and micropetrography (thin section analysis) combined with geochemical analysis of raw materials and flint artefacts.
This paper focuses on Balkan flint, which was an important raw material exploited by Early Neolithic people and is found in archaeological sites across much of the Balkans east of the Dinaric Alps. Understanding the processes of extraction and distribution of Balkan flint among Early Neolithic populations is important for our understanding of the Neolithization process.
After 10 years of intensive field surveys and laboratory analyses, we have accumulated a substantial corpus of analytical data from geological outcrops and archaeological sites. Based on these data we suggest the term ‘Balkan flint’ be reserved for high-quality, yellowish-brown (occasionally beige or light grey) white-spotted flint that occurs as nodules in chalky limestones of the Upper Cretaceous Mezdra Formation in northern Bulgaria. Our results from field surveys combined with petrographic and geochemical analyses of numerous flint samples suggest that all well-documented sources of Balkan flint occur within the Mezdra Formation.
Analysis of Balkan flint samples from Early Neolithic sites across Bulgaria suggests some communities acquired supplies from more than one source, while GIS modelling indicates possible distribution routes. But there are still questions to be resolved regarding the origins of the Balkan flint exchange network and the locations of extraction sites and workshops, which will require a common research effort by scholars in all Balkan countries.
Keywords: Balkan prehistory, Early Neolithic, raw material procurement, Balkan flint; micropetrography, LA-ICP-MS, GIS modelling

The natural residual (NR) function is a mapping often used to solve nonlinear complementarity problems (NCPs). Recently, three discrete-type families of complementarity functions with parameter p P 3 (where p is odd) based on the NR function were proposed. Using a neural network approach based on these families, it was observed from some preliminary numerical experiments that lower values of p provide better convergence rates. Moreover, higher values of p require larger computational time for the test problems considered. Hence, the value p ¼ 3 is recommended for numerical simulations, which is rather unfortunate since we cannot exploit the wide range of values for the parameter p of the family of NCP functions. This paper is a follow-up study on the aforementioned results. Motivated by previously reported numerical results, we formulate a continuous-type generalization of the NR function and two corresponding symmetrizations. The new families admit a continuous parameter p > 0, giving us a wider range of choices for p and smooth NCP functions when p > 1. Moreover, the generalization subsumes the discrete-type generalization initially proposed. The numerical simulations show that in general, increased stability and better numerical performance can be achieved by taking values of p in the interval 1; 3 ð Þ. This is indeed a significant improvement of preceding studies.

A key challenge in the art and archaeological field is the instrumental analysis of objects and materials while preserving their integrity. In this study, the world-renowned artwork Alexander Mosaic (The Issus Battle, collection of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, IT), the most iconic representation of the face of the Macedonian king Alexander the Great coming from a Pompeii domus, was thoroughly analyzed with mobile and non-invasive methods, within a great project of restoration started in 2020. Representative areas of the Mosaic, overall consisting of ca. two million of tesserae, was studied by in situ videomicroscopy, infrared thermography (IRT), multispectral imaging, portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. Ten tesserae colors were discriminated, and hypotheses on their geological provenances are proposed. Plasters, mineral components and other substances of old protective materials were characterized. The information obtained with this approach paved the way to knowledgeable restoration.

The Paleoproterozoic Athabasca Basin (Canada) hosts numerous giant unconformityrelated uranium deposits. The scope of this study is to establish the pressure, temperature and composition (P-T-X conditions) of the brines that circulated at the base of the Athabasca Basin and in its crystalline basement before, during and after UO2 deposition. These brines are commonly sampled as fluid inclusions in quartz-and dolomite-cementing veins and breccias associated with alteration and U mineralization. Microthermometry and laser ablation -inductively coupled plasma -mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) data from five deposits (Rabbit Lake, P-Patch, Eagle Point, Millennium and Shea Creek) complement previously published data for the McArthur River deposit. In all of the deposits investigated, fluid inclusion salinity is between 25 and 40 wt.% NaCl equiv., with compositions displaying a continuum between a "NaCl-rich brine" end-member (Cl>Na>Ca>Mg>K) and a "CaCl2-rich brine" end-member (Cl>Ca Mg>Na>K). The CaCl2-rich brine has the highest salinity and shows evidence for halite saturation at the time of trapping. The continuum of compositions between the NaCl-rich brine and the CaCl2-rich brine end-members combined with P-T reconstructions suggest anisothermal mixing of the two brines (NaCl-rich brine : 180 ± 30°C and 800 ± 400 bars; CaCl2-rich brine: 120 ± 30°C and 600 ± 300 bars) that occurred under fluctuating pressure conditions (hydrostatic to supra-hydrostatic). However because the two brines were U-bearing and therefore oxidized, brine mixing was probably not the driving force for UO2 deposition. Several scenarios are put forward to account for the Cl-Na-Ca-Mg-K composition of the brines, involving combinations of seawater evaporation, halite dissolution, mixing with a halitedissolution brine, Mg/Ca exchange during dolomitization, Na/Ca exchange by albitization of plagioclase, Na/K exchange by albitization of K-feldspar and Mg-loss by Mg-rich alteration. Finally, the metal concentrations in the NaCl-rich and CaCl2-rich Powered by Edit orial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Syst em s Corporat ion brines are among the highest recorded compared to present-day sedimentary formation waters or fluid inclusions from basin-hosted base metal deposits (up to 600 ppm U, 3000 ppm Mn, 4000 ppm Zn, 6000 ppm Cu, 8000 ppm Pb and 10000 ppm Fe). The CaCl2-rich brine carries up to one order of magnitude more metal than the NaClrich brine. Though the exact origin of major cations and metals of the two brines remains uncertain, their contrasting compositions indicate that the two brines had distinct flow paths and fluid-rock interactions. Large-scale circulation of the brines in the Athabasca Basin and Basement was therefore a key parameter for metal mobility (including U) and formation unconformity-related U deposits. Comments are included in the cover letter Powered by Edit orial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Syst em s Corporat ion hosted base metal deposits (up to 600 ppm U, 3000 ppm Mn, 4000 ppm Zn, 6000 ppm Cu, 8000 ppm Pb and 10000 ppm Fe). The CaCl2-rich brine carries up to one order of magnitude more metal than the NaCl-rich brine. Though the exact origin of major cations and metals of the two brines remains uncertain, their contrasting compositions indicate that the two brines had distinct flow paths and fluid-rock interactions. Large-scale circulation of the brines in the Athabasca Basin and Basement was therefore a key parameter for metal mobility (including U) and formation unconformity-related U deposits.

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

An in vitro method for the time-resolved quantification of acid-mediated tooth demineralisation has been developed and evaluated against putative non-permanent protective formulations based on a series of poly(alkyl methacrylate)s. Using a thermostatted carousel, dentally relevant substrates consisting of hydroxyapatite discs or sections of bovine teeth have been exposed to aqueous citric acid under controlled conditions, before and after being treated with the polymeric coatings. The dissolution of phosphate was monitored by the determination of 31 P by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry and by the spectrophotometric phosphovanadomolybdate method. Dose-response plots constructed for both groups of treated substrates have revealed that the coatings significantly reduce erosion rates but are less effective at inhibiting tooth demineralisation than the standard fluoride treatment. The approach has enabled an evaluation of the erosion-protection efficiency of each coating.

Presents a catalogue of the 290 bead varieties represented in a large deposit of glass production wasters uncovered at the edge of the Kaizergracht canal on the west side of Old Amsterdam in 1981. Initially attributed to the first decade of the 17th century and the glassworks operated by Jan Schryver Soop on the Kloveniersburgwal in central Amsterdam, it was subsequently determined that the material was actually associated with the first location of “De Twee Rozen” (The Two Roses) glassworks operated by Claes Rochusz Jacquet on the Kaizersgracht (opposite the deposit) from 1621 to 1657.

Considering that the synthesis of tetrahedrite-based materials usually uses high purity elements, the evaluation of the direct application of ore samples as raw materials for their synthesis is a pertinent issue. In the present study, multiphase synthetic tetrahedrite samples were mixed with tetrahedrite-tennantite ore samples (in weight ratios of 0.8/0.2, 0.5/0.5 and 0.2/0.8) to produce tetrahedrite-based materials by solid-state mechanochemical synthesis. The ore samples were obtained from the abandoned Barrigão mine dumps and from the Neves Corvo mine, both located in the Portuguese zone of the Iberian Pyrite Belt, whose main constituents were found to be As-rich tetrahedrite and tennantite-(Fe), respectively. Depending on the ore sample and on the mixture ratios, the displacement reactions occurring during the synthesis process gave rise to different phase transformation paths. For the ratios of 0.5/0.5 and 0.2/0.8, the mixtures with the Barrigão ore were found to consist of a single sulfide phase, tetrahedrite-tennantite-(Fe), plus quartz, while famatinite was also observed in the 0.8/0.2 mixture. Tetrahedrite-tennantite-(Fe) phase was the main constituent of all mixtures with the Neves Corvo ore, but in all of them other sulfide phases, famatinite-luzonite and pyrite, were also present in addition to quartz. Despite being dissimilar, these results are very promising and encouraging, by confirming the possible direct usage of ore samples and of dump material for the synthesis of tetrahedrite-based materials with all the potential environmental-economic gains that can be obtained.

La Grotta Piatta est située à 140 mètres d'altitude sur le versant sud d'une petite vallée littorale, la plaine d'Aregno. L'abri se trouve dans un important massif granitique, au sein duquel se sont formés de nombreux abris. Il s'agit d'un site funéraire protohistorique en abri-sous-roche s'inscrivant dans un point remarquable du paysage qui domine toute la plaine d'Aregno-Corbara. L'abri fait partie d'un environnement archéologique dans lequel ont été répertoriés de nombreux sites préhistoriques et protohistoriques. Cependant, seules deux sépultures ont Le mobilier en verre du site de la Grotta Piatta (Aregno, Haute-Corse) : composition chimique et chronotypologie he glass furniture site of Grotta Piatta (Aregno, North Corsica): chemical composition and chronotypology

The study provides a detailed investigation into several representatives of La Tène jewellery. Primarily, it deals with nonmetallic decorative inlays from the Late La Tène period, particularly with their application on a metal base. Unique artefacts have been selected for the study, all coming from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. A prime representative of the finds is a torc coming from a La Tène burial site in Prague (Czech Republic, Central Europe). In this geographical context, such finds are rather exceptional. The torc examined is remarkable both in terms of its origin and the production technology utilised, namely the application of decorative inlays made of red opaque glass. Available literature classifies this decorative element as an enamel technique. The highly specific type of red soda high-lead glass applied there was examined using LA-ICP-MS. Based on the trace elements detected, it can be established that the glass is most likely related to contemporary Egyptian production. Other items of the artefact set consist of two Münsingen brooches from Moravia and an exceptional brooch from Slovakia. The latter find was found to be decorated with coral (as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy). Besides identifying the materials of the decorations, we were also able to characterize the binder between individual decorative inlays and their metal base. The analysis of the binder has revealed the presence of birch tar (determined by FTIR and GC/MS). The results obtained expand the knowledge about the production technologies applied to the jewellery from the La Tène period.

Intraparenchymal convection-enhanced delivery (CED) of therapeutics directly into the brain has long been endorsed as a medium through which meaningful concentrations of drug can be administered to patients, bypassing the blood brain barrier. The translation of the technology to clinic has been hindered by poor distribution not previously observed in smaller pre-clinical models. In part this was due to the larger volumes of target structures found in humans but principally the poor outcome was linked to reflux (backflow) of infusate proximally along the catheter track. Over the past 10 years, improvements have been made to the technology in the field which has led to a small number of commercially available devices containing reflux inhibiting features. While these devices are currently suitable for acute or short term use, several indications would benefit from longer term repeated, intermittent administration of therapeutics (Parkinson&#39;s, Alzheimer&#39;s, Amyotrophic lateral s...

Context: Inadequate penetration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by systemically administered chemotherapies including carboplatin is implicated in their failure to improve prognosis for patients with glioblastoma. Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) of carboplatin has the potential to improve outcomes by facilitating bypass of the BBB.Objective: We report the first use of an implantable CED system incorporating a novel transcutaneous bone-anchored port (TBAP) for intermittent CED of carboplatin in a patient with recurrent glioblastoma.Materials and methods: The CED catheter system was implanted using a robot-assisted surgical method. Catheter targeting accuracy was verified by performing intra-operative O-arm imaging. The TBAP was implanted using a skin-flap dermatome technique modeled on bone-anchored hearing aid surgery. Repeated infusions were performed by attaching a needle administration set to the TBAP. Drug distribution was monitored with serial real-time T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Results: All catheters were implanted to within 1.5 mm of their planned target. Intermittent infusions of carboplatin were performed on three consecutive days and repeated after one month without the need for further surgical intervention. Infused volumes of 27.9 ml per day were well tolerated, with the exception of a single seizure episode. Follow-up MRI at eight weeks demonstrated a significant reduction in the volume of tumor enhancement from 42.6 ml to 24.6 ml, and was associated with stability of the patient's clinical condition.Conclusion: Reduction in the volume of tumor enhancement indicates that intermittent CED of carboplatin has the potential to improve outcomes in glioblastoma. The novel technology described in this report make intermittent CED infusion regimes an achievable treatment strategy.

Disruption brought about by the “collapse” of the Tiwanaku state circa AD 1000 was exacerbated by environmental stress in the south-central Andes. Understanding how these complex factors—alongside food insecurity and infectious diseases—impacted vulnerable members of displaced communities may shed light on survival strategies within a challenging biocultural landscape. One such community was in the Moquegua Valley of southern Peru.

This study uses dental histology to analyze micro-defects in tooth enamel, called accentuated lines (AL), which indicate stress experienced during infancy and early childhood. Samples are from skeletal individuals who died as adults, and associated with two sequential occupation phases at the site of Tumilaca la Chimba. One phase occurred in the immediate aftermath of Tiwanaku fragmentation, while the other occurred several centuries later:

• Tumilaca cohort: Terminal Middle Horizon (TMH 1000-1250 CE)
• Estuquiña cohort: Late Intermediate Period (LIP, 1250-1470 CE)

Prei Khmeng, a village 13 km northwest of Siem Reap, Cambodia, is noted for the presence of one of the region's earliest monuments, Prasat Prei Khmeng. Aside from its ruined temple, Prei Khmeng is an important prehistoric occupation site that immediately pre-dates the foundation of the temple. First excavated by a Franco-Cambodian team in the early 2000s, the site was revisited in 2014 by an Australian-Cambodian research team. Recent research revealed Iron Age domestic occupation as well as inhumation burials. The burial assemblage provides evidence of regional trade and exchange and mortuary wealth differentiation. Bioarchaeological examination of the individuals interred at the site reveals intentional dental modification and perimortem blunt and sharp force skeletal trauma. This research sheds light on this important epoch in prehistory, a juncture between the prehistoric and protohistoric period in Cambodia, which was a time of substantial socio-political transformation.

ROBOMINERS is a new project funded under the European Union’s Research and Innovation Programme Horizon 2020, which aims at employing a bio-inspired robot, focused on the prospect of mineral exploration and extraction within Europe. ROBOMINERS’ innovative approach combines the creation of a new mining ecosystem through the development of a bioinspired robotic miner prototype, able to explore and mine mineral deposits which are currently considered uneconomic due to their small size and difficulty of access. The main objectives of the project include the creation of a European database of potentially suitable locations for the deployment of this novel technology. The building of the pan-EU mineral deposits database is considered vital for the development of the project as it will provide essential information related to deposit type and commodities, spatial and temporal distribution, and location of exploration targets. Several deposits have been reviewed and examined in Greece as po...

The production and circulation of common wares during the late antique period in North Africa has been largely overlooked by past scholarship, despite their potential to shed light on late antique production, workshop organisation and regional ceramic economies. This paper provides the first detailed study of a distinctive type of late antique, wheelmade common ware, the so-called African 'painted ware' (APW). It first presents a critical overview of the distribution of painted wares and their typology, decoration and chronology based on existing publications. It then develops a typology of vessel shapes, but also decoration patterns based on a large, well-preserved assemblage of painted ceramics recently excavated by the DAI, INP and UCL at the archaeological sites of Bulla Regia and Chimtou in the Medjerda valley, Tunisia. To understand the composition, technology and provenance of the wares, petrographic and chemical analysis was conducted on 57 painted sherds from the two sites. The results suggest the existence of a production centre in the Medjerda Valley, with potters using local calcareous clay tempered with sand, while the decoration was obtained using iron-based pigments. Comparison with published painted wares at other sites contributes to an initial insight into regional distribution patterns of the painted ware. ‫أل‬ ‫ﻭ‬ ‫ﺍ‬ ‫ن‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ﺍ‬ ‫ل‬ ‫م‬ ‫ط‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ي‬ ‫ة‬ .

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés.

The systematic chemical analysis of large collections of archaeological glass beads is essential to better understand trade patterns at different times around the world. Glass beads' trade towards and within sub-Saharan West Africa grew exponentially over time to culminate with the establishment of the Atlantic Trade. Although these artefacts are very commonly found in archaeological contexts dating after the 15 th century CE, the assemblages are generally poorly studied from a chemical point of view. We present here the study of 916 glass beads found in five archaeological sites in Ghana, Mali, and Senegal, in contexts dated between the 15 th and the mid-20 th century CE. Besides the techno-stylistic classification of the whole assemblage, the compositional study of a subgroup of 578 monochrome and polychrome glass beads was performed. The 798 glass samples composing the selected beads were therefore classified based on their main chemical composition. Moreover, major, minor, and trace elements analysis by Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and the statistical analysis of the results by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) led to the identification of the probable origin of the glass. Different suppliers were distinguished for the Ghanaian earlier beads and the Senegalese and Malian later ones, in relation to the different European trade partners at different times.

This article draws attention to the glass found in Gujarat, a region of India that, until now, has been poorly studied as far as this material is concerned. Glass objects from Vadnagar, including beads, bangles, fragments of containers and glass wastes were analyzed to obtain their elemental and isotopic compositions, with the goal to determine places of glass production and reconstruct trade networks. Dating for the glass material ranges from the 3rd c. BCE to the contemporaneous period, providing an opportunity for a diachronic approach. Results show a wide variety of glass types, including glasses manufactured in South Asia (India and Sri Lanka) and glasses imported from the Mediterranean area and later from the Middle East via Indian Ocean routes. This study sheds light on two recently discovered Indian glasses: types m-Na-Al 7 and m-Na-Al 13. Type m-Na-Al 7 is heterogeneous and not yet clearly defined, while type m-Na-Al 13 is a local production of Gujarat with a diffusion that seems to have been limited to the immediate region. The diversity of glass types identified at Vadnagar testifies to the dynamism of the trade conducted in the region and of multiple connections, with ramifications sustained over very long periods of time, throughout South Asia and the Indian Ocean trade network.

Kaca di India wujud dalam bentuk manik wound monochrome pada zaman Chalcolithic di Maski, dan sebagai manik dan gelang dari penghujung tempoh pertindihan fasa Tamadun Harappa dan budaya besi Painted Grey Ware di Bhagwanpura. Kepelbagaian dan pengedaran manik meningkat berlipat kali ganda dalam fasa Sejarah Awal. Rekod literatur yang bertarikh dari 1200 BCE sehingga sekitar 300 BCE merujuk kepada manik kaca sebagai barang mewah untuk golongan kelas atasan. Walau bagaimanapun, tidak seperti tablet tanah liat di Asia Barat, maklumat mengenai kaedah pembuatan kaca di India purba adalah terhad; sama ada hanya sebagai maklumat material sisa arkeologi ataupun rekod epigrafi. Walau bagaimanapun, kita mempunyai rekod sastera merujuk kepada penggunaan dan penghasilan pelbagai jenis manik kaca dan objek lain dalam bentuk Yajurveda (1200 BCE), Brahmanas (800-600 BCE), Sutras (600-400 BCE), Arthasastra (300 BCE), Puranas, (400-1400 CE) kepada Ain-i-Akbari (rekod mahkamah pemerintahan Akbar, yang...

Ancient China is often regarded as the country of clothes and hair ornaments due to numerous archaeological finds. The tradition to study dress and hair decorations reflects their practical use, social status, and aesthetic spirit of ancient Chinese people. Hairpins, used for stabilizing the long hair of both men and women, are one of the most common hair accessories in the history of China. This paper is the first to specifically concentrate on glass hairpins rather than other glass ornaments such as beads and bangles. The finds were excavated in 2022 from an ancient port site named as Shuo Gate. The site is located in the north of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, a coastal city in southern China along the maritime Silk Road. Five representative samples in different colours and levels of opacification were selected for scientific analysis. LA-ICP-MS analysis was applied on the glass material to obtain compositional results and integral characteristics of each sample. Furthermore, non-invasive methods such as micro-CT and Raman spectroscopy were employed to determine the inner structure of this special type of glass ornament and to explore the possible manufacturing techniques used between the 10 th and 13 th centuries CE. Based on the compositions of the major and minor elements, they were divided into two distinct types: K 2 O-PbO-SiO 2 and K 2 O-CaO-SiO 2 glass. The relationships between the glass finds and the site were also discussed for their possible provenances and commodity attributes. Combined with other published reports, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of origin, distribution and communication with the world along the maritime Silk Road in terms of Chinese glass. 325000, China.

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In the last decades, few days a week, several city centres in Italy are closed at vehicular traffic in order to limit the presence of particulate matter, often exceeding the limits set by law . The particulate matter have an impact on human health , in the cultural heritage and natural environment deterioration . Many studies have been the carried out in air monitoring in urban areas while the targeted surveys to assess the impact on air quality of snow dispersion for ski activities are rare. Thanks to the Autonomous Province of Trento it has been possible to sample the snowpack in some ski areas in Italy and thanks to stratigraphic profiles it has been possible to observe variations of the chemical composition over time. Natural contribution is strictly related to winds and currents movement, for this reason a deep knowledge of these factors can help in the determination of the prevalent trajectories during the year . During a penetrometeric and stratigraphic profile on Presena glacier, the main nivo-meteorological features, air temperature and temperature inside the different layers of the snowpack have been measured. Some snow samples has been collected and analyzed by SEM-EDS, ICP-MS and IC. These qualitative and quantitative analyses allow to obtain chemical and mineralogical composition to define the emitting source.

Mortar mixtures were prepared considering the microscopic observation, granulometric analysis, mercury porosimetry, XRD analysis, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis of the original plaster. Two series of lime mortar samples containing identical mixture of aggregates and admixtures but varying in the kind of a lime binder were prepared. In addition, the sample series varied in the ratio between mixing aggregate and binder. Prepared test bodies were subjected to accelerated carbonation process. Carbonated samples were characterized by the measurement of compressive strength, open porosity, water absorption and resistance to salt crystallization. The samples were also again compared with the original plaster by optical microscopy and XRD analysis. Based on the results of analyses of the original plasters and prepared samples of repair mortar the sample containing lime slurry with the mixture of aggregates in the mixing ratio of 1 : 2 was recommended for the restoration...

The technology and provenance of 50 medieval glazed and 15 unglazed ceramics (9 th-12 th c.) from Bulla Regia and Chimtou (ancient Simitthus), in the Medjerda Valley, Tunisia, have been characterised using thin section petrography, LA-ICP-MS and SEM-EDS. All ceramics appear to have been made in Tunisia, except for two samples which are imports from Palermo (Sicily). The bodies of most of the glazed and unglazed wares have very similar compositions and were likely manufactured in central Tunisia (Kairouan region) and then traded to the two sites. Manufacture local to the two sites seems to have been limited to handmade wares and perhaps lamps. The production of both glazed and unglazed wheelmade wares using central Tunisian clays suggests a model in which Kairouan was a major production centre and distributor of ceramics. The data suggest that different Kairouan workshops may have specialised in different types of wares. The identification of smaller chemical and petrographic groups may indicate the existence of other unlocated regional production centres which were secondary to Kairouan as a source of ceramics for the northwest Medjerda Valley. All glazes are lead based, containing varying amounts of alkalis. The majority of the glazes are translucent, with just three that are tin-opacified. It is suggested that the source of lead used for glazing was scrap lead metal with a complex life history, originally obtained from the reduction of litharge produced as a side product of silver extraction and showing signs of subsequent recycling.

Glass finds from the archaeological excavations of the city of Istakhr in the Fars province (actual Iran) have been subjected to archaeometric analysis. Based on their archaeological context, these pieces were dated to the fifth century CE. The glass fragments were analysed using environmental scanning electron microscopy combined with synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence to accurately assess their chemical composition and fingerprint. Based on the results, the objects are categorised as high "sodium-lime-silica" with plant ash used as a flux. Based on the chemical composition, which reflects the production of glass, the objects were divided into three separate groups; however, the raw materials remained almost the same during the heyday of Istakhr.

In this article a method with which chemical groups of beads from a single Merovingian cemetery can
be distinguished is explained and tested. In short, this is accomplished by chemically analysing the complete
glass bead assemblage of the 6th-century cemetery Lent-Lentseveld with both pXRF and LA-ICP-MS, and
using Principal Component Analyses (PCA) to identify chemical groups per bead-type and per grave. The
results are very promising: for imported bead-types from the Eastern Mediterranean and further East clear
chemical groups per bead-type are recognised, and for both imported and European beads distinct groups per
grave are identified. These findings suggest that in the 6th century beads were imported over long distances
to Lent on several occasions, and that once strung, beads tended to remain together as a distinct set. The
beads excavated in Lent were clearly not acquired or exchanged one at a time, which opens up the possibility
that complete strings of beads were exchanged. In future research it will be interesting to establish whether
the same patterns can be recognised for bead assemblages excavated from other Merovingian cemeteries in
the region.

Morphological, technological and chemical compositional analyses of carnelian beads and raw materials from two sites in ancient Sudan are presented. Six carnelian beads are from Banganarti, a Christian pilgrimage center of the Makuria
Kingdom (9th -14th centuries) and 18 beads and two carnelian flake fragments are from Old Dongola, capital of the Kingdom of Dongola (14th–18th centuries). Bead shapes show considerable variation, but bead perforations were all
done with diamond tipped drills, a technique originating in ancient India and closely associated with South Asian bead workshop traditions. Chemical compositional analyses using laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry
(LA-ICP-MS) and data processing using both Canonical Discriminate Analysis and Principal Components Analysis, show that many of the beads were made using carnelian that can be sourced to peninsular or western India. Other beads
derive from geological sources in Iran, Yemen, Egypt and Türkiye. The two carnelian flakes source to India. These beads provide new insights into issues of technology transfer, stylistic variation and trade networks linking Medieval and postmedieval
Nubia to distant regions of West and South Asia.

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of glass ornaments excavated from the Liziwei site in southwestern Taiwan (the 1 st to the 8 th century CE) to explore the dynamics of local and trans-regional exchange network during the Metal Age. Using Laser Ablation -Inductively Coupled Plasma -Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), we identified three principal chemical groups: mineral soda high alumina glass, soda plant ash glass and potash glass. The chemical compositions of these glass groups demonstrate Liziwei's integration into a broad maritime exchange network that connected Taiwan with Southeast Asia, South Asia and West Asia. However, our findings also reveal the existence of a localised exchange network within southwestern Taiwan, characterised by distinct regional preferences in glass ornament styles and chemical compositions. Comparison with Daoye, Daoye South and Wujiancuo reveals continuity in glass chemical groups and cultural practices, suggesting sustained regional interactions distinct from those in other parts of Taiwan. The findings indicate that glass exchange likely intensified during the Middle Metal Age, coinciding with increased settlement activity and higher concentrations of glass beads in burials. These results highlight the interplay between long-distance exchange and localised circulation, providing new insights into the evolution of exchange activities in prehistoric Taiwan.

Békés 103, a primarily Middle Bronze Age (c. 1600–1280 calBC) cemetery and settlement on the Great Hungarian Plain, has been investigated by the BAKOTA project since 2011. Ceramics from the site are covered in dense white concretions, and it has been noted during compositional analyses that these vessels exhibit elevated concentrations of several potentially mobile elements in comparison to vessels from regional tell sites. Here, we use a multimethod (optical mineralogy, FT-IR, XRD, XPS, PXRF, SEM-EDS, and LA-ICP-MS) mineralogical and chemical approach to characterize the composition of surface encrustations on ceramics samples from Békés 103. We also chemically map interior paste composition using LA-ICP-MS to identify potential leaching of mobile elements into or out of vessel bodies. We demonstrate that the surface encrustations are primarily composed of calcite but also contain a variety of other mineral and organic constituents indicative of deposition of soil carbonates, phosp...

The aim of this paper is the investigation of the role of diagenesis in the transformation of clastic sulfide sediments such as sulfide breccias from the Semenov-3 hydrothermal field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge). The breccias are composed of marcasite-pyrite clasts enclosed in a barite-sulfide-quartz matrix. Primary hydrothermal sulfides occur as colloform, fine-crystalline, porous and radial marcasite-pyrite clasts with inclusions or individual clasts of chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrrhotite, bornite, barite and rock-forming minerals. Diagenetic processes are responsible for the formation of more diverse authigenic mineralization including framboidal, ovoidal and nodular pyrite, coarse-crystalline pyrite and marcasite, anhedral and reniform chalcopyrite, inclusions of HgS phase and pyrrhotite-sphalerite-chalcopyrite aggregates in coarse-crystalline pyrite, zoned bornite-chalcopyrite grains, specular and globular hematite, tabular barite and quartz. The early diagenetic ovoid pyrite is enriched in most trace elements in contrast to late diagenetic varieties. Authigenic lower-temperature chalcopyrite is depleted in trace elements relative to high-temperature hydrothermal ones. Trace elements have different modes of occurrence: Se is hosted in pyrite and chalcopyrite; Tl is related to sphalerite and galena nanoinclusions; Au is associated with galena; As in pyrite is lattice-bound, whereas in chalcopyrite it is related to tetrahedrite-tennantite nanoinclusions; Cd in pyrite is hosted in sphalerite inclusions; Cd in chalcopyrite forms its own mineral; Co and Ni are hosted in chalcopyrite.