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The Ychsma society was one of the most important civilizations developed between 900 and 1532 CE in Lima, the present Peruvian capital, situated on the central coast of Peru. The Ychsma territory included the lower basin of the Rímac and Lurín valleys in the current city of Lima (Peru). Around 1470 CE, the Ychsma region was conquered and placed under the control of the Inca Empire, which ruled the region until the Spanish conquest in 1532 CE. Despite this, the Inca rule allowed local elites to maintain their position and control of the population. The archaeological site of Armatambo was an important administrative center of the Ychsma society. This site was actively occupied during the Middle Ychsma (1250–1350 CE) and Late Ychsma (1350–1532 CE) phases, and as the capital of the Sullco Curacazgo controlled a large part of the lower Rímac valley. During excavations at this site, many materials associated with ceramic production were found. One aspect crucial to the study of ceramic materials is the reconstruction of ceramic production and distribution networks, which allows us to obtain information linked to the social and economic interaction between communities. To determine the local or non-local origin of the materials found at Armatambo, 61 samples were analyzed using ICP-MS, Petrography, and SEM. The results were compared with archaeological and geological data from the Rímac valley to determine whether or not production there was local or non-local and to identify possible sources of raw materials. The authors would like to acknowledge the funding granted by IDEX-Bordeaux which allowed the realization of the doctoral project. The funding of the Euroregion Nouvelle-Aquitaine/Euskadi-Navarra for the mobility funding (Dossier n°60161). Javier G. Iñañez thanks the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for a Ramon y Cajal contract (RYC-2014-16835).

Laser irradiation enables the removal of unwanted surface deposits from different materials in a safe and controllable manner. Laser parameters should be carefully selected to achieve the removal of the target contaminants without inducing damage to the substrate. Ultra-short pulse lasers have opened new opportunities for safe and controlled decontamination of cultural heritage materials because the thickness of material that is affected by the laser is limited. In this study, an ultraviolet femtosecond pulsed laser was used for the removal of unwanted encrustation formed on the surface of an historical colourless stained-glass sample from the Cuenca Cathedral in Spain. One of the sides of this glass exhibits a reddish-brown grisaille that also has to be preserved. A laser cleaning process has been designed to avoid heat accumulation while controlling the thickness of ablated material. In this context, a multi-step process was selected in order to be able to eliminate, in a controlled way, the crust layer without damaging the grisaille layer, or the glass substrate. In this case, laser irradiation in beam scanning mode with a pulse repetition frequency of 10kHz proved to be effective for the safe cleaning of the glass. The latter was analysed before and after laser cleaning by optical and confocal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy, confirming that the crust layer was effectively eliminated without damaging the surface.

International audience; This paper discusses the use of a small ultraportable hyperspectral camera in the VIS-NIR (Visible-Near Infrared) range for archaeological fieldwork and its hardware, data processing workflows, and spectral information that can be used for in situ screening. Hyperspectral imaging is a widespread, non-destructive analytical technique used in various disciplines for highlighting invisible patterns and mapping the spectral signatures of selected targets. In archaeology, it has mostly been applied for remote sensing satellite imagery to uncover information about features that are hidden underground. Targeted applications of hyperspectral imaging have been developed in the last few years, opening new perspectives for material analysis based on spectral mapping. Recent advances in portable instrumentation have led to the development of small and rugged cameras that can be used directly in the field for investigating different materials.

International audience

In this paper, we focus on the industrial production of porcelain in the Bordeaux area (France) in the 19th century. Our main objective is to assess the evolution of production technology of the same manufactory over a period of more than 40 years. A multi-analytical approach was used to investigate glazes and bodies of thirty-four sherds of biscuit and porcelain found in an archaeological context. The microstructural, chemical, and mineralogical characterization was performed using a combination of scanning electron microscopy, coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), particles induced X-ray and gamma emission (PIXE-PIGE), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results obtained on the characterization of the ceramic production technologies and on the chemical modification over time contributes to investigate this industrial production, which is not well documented by the written archives. The examination of the biscuits, rare artifacts, showed that the porcelain bodies were produced by mixing kaolinitic clays, quartz, and potassium feldspars. The mineralogical analysis of the ceramic supports allowed hypotheses to be put forward on the temperatures of the biscuit firing (around 950 °C) and the second firing (over 1200 °C). Furthermore, the treatment of the compositional data, including both glazes and bodies, using multivariate statistical analysis, revealed different types of production corresponding to the different chronological periods of production at Bordeaux throughout the 19th century. These results will enable us to consider the possibility of authenticating non-stamped and undecorated pieces.

In this paper, we focus on the industrial production of porcelain in the Bordeaux area (France) in the 19th century. Our main objective is to assess the evolution of production technology of the same manufactory over a period of more than 40 years. A multi-analytical approach was used to investigate glazes and bodies of thirty-four sherds of biscuit and porcelain found in an archaeological context. The microstructural, chemical, and mineralogical characterization was performed using a combination of scanning electron microscopy, coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), particles induced X-ray and gamma emission (PIXE-PIGE), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results obtained on the characterization of the ceramic production technologies and on the chemical modification over time contributes to investigate this industrial production, which is not well documented by the written archives. The examination of the biscuits, rare artifacts, showed that the porcelain bodies were produced by mixing kaolinitic clays, quartz, and potassium feldspars. The mineralogical analysis of the ceramic supports allowed hypotheses to be put forward on the temperatures of the biscuit firing (around 950 °C) and the second firing (over 1200 °C). Furthermore, the treatment of the compositional data, including both glazes and bodies, using multivariate statistical analysis, revealed different types of production corresponding to the different chronological periods of production at Bordeaux throughout the 19th century. These results will enable us to consider the possibility of authenticating non-stamped and undecorated pieces.

This research work was presented at the: LVIII Congress of the Spanish Society of Ceramics and Glass – Madrid, Spain May 3-6, 2022. Ps and fs lasers wereused to understand the response of stained-glasses to the radiation, analyzing the different levels of damage that the laser can induce on the glass sample (chemical, mechanical or thermal) depending on the laser wavelength. In addition, the adequate selection of the laser parameters that can limit the maximum temperature reached on the glass surface due to heat accumulation, avoiding crack generation due to thermal stresses created during laser cleaning was presented.

This work reports on studies aimed to evaluate the utilization of ultrashort 238 fs (fs) pulsed UV laser emission at 343 nm for eliminating colored crusts and surface deposits on significant Cretaceous flint surfaces, in an attempt to safeguard its aesthetic appearance and archaeological value. The results indicate that fs UV lasers may be an ideal, non-contact tool for selective surface cleaning of sensitive archaeological artefacts, since they enable contaminant desorption while avoiding photothermal damage., Project supported by H2020-MSCA-ITN-EJD/ED-ARCHMAT funding under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions grant agreement, No. 766311 and by Gobierno de Aragón (research group T54_20R).

International audience; The aim of this research is to investigate the influence of NaCl on the colours and chemical composition of Carich ceramic bodies. The addition of salt to ceramics is a practice that has been observed in several potter communities where the addition of salt is explicitly intended to whiten ceramics. In order to conduct this research and characterize the physico-chemical properties induced by the presence of salt, raw clay material and pot sherds were collected from the modern production at Hebron. Experimental bricks were made using two clayed sediments: one with a low CaO content (

In order to successfully understand the complex evolution of prehistoric societies, archaeologists require absolute dating tools, which are not only accurate but also widely applicable. Thermoluminescence (TL) dating is one such approach that has been successfully used to establish a general chronological framework for prehistoric sites and is particularly suited for use on heated lithic artefacts. Experiments conducted in this study have clearly shown the applicability of Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) isothermal modelling in combination with TL dating to constrain firing temperature. This expands the potential application for TL dating to include artefacts treated at low firing temperatures. The present study shows potential in terms of precision and accuracy for framing the “equivalent firing temperature”. At the same time, the comparison of the TL signal with the lattice-defects and aluminium centres invigorate the use of ESR dating on heated flint, especially with samples that have received low thermal treatment. The presence of organic matter in large quantity raises concern on the pyrolysis effect on the luminescence signal; however, the use of ESR isothermal and isochronal modelling could potentially lead to the ability to overcome current interferences of the organic radicals within the dating signal of TL.

Controlled laser irradiation parameters using recently developed sub-nanosecond pulsed laser technology with an emission wavelength in the near Infrared regime (1064 nm) have been assessed on a Pleistocene bone from the archaeological site of Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain. Burst pulse mode was employed to explore contaminant removal efficiency, while at the same time, assessing the degree of damage produced to the underlying original substrate surface. The surface morphology and composition of the deteriorated bone have been characterized, along with the effects of laser irradiation at 1064 nm, using Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy–with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (SEM–EDS), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The most effective laser cleaning parameters in burst mode have been identified in order to optimize the emission parameters of the laser, thus localizing its interaction within the outermost layers of contaminants and degradation products, avoiding damage to the underlying original bone surface. Hence, threshold cleaning and substrate damage values have been determined for this new sub-ns laser, paving the way to safer laser cleaning procedures that may be useful for the effective conservation of bone archaeological artifacts. &nbsp

At the end of the seventeenth century, three “Royal” tapestry Manufactories existed thanks to Louis XIV’s first minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert: Aubusson, Gobelins and Beauvais. This newly acquired title gave rise to the establishment of numerous rules concerning the quality of the materials used for the production of tapestries. These quality standards were ensured by inspectors of the Crown and renowned cartoon painters sent to work in the Manufactories, which led to the birth of the so-called Tapisseries de Grand Teint. To facilitate the study of these high-quality tapestries, a colour chart consisting of more than 600 references based upon formulations from eighteenth-century treatises was created including spectra recorded with two hyperspectral cameras, in the visible–near infrared and short-wave infrared ranges. This reference database was then used in comparison with the spectra recorded in situ on the three tapestries included in the present study. Ultimately, this method allows for the identification of the specific materials used for tapestry fabrication. This paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of tapestries produced in each of the three Royal Manufactories through the use of two distinct and widely used approaches (i.e. through external and internal databases). The first approach relies upon comparisons with an external database via the Spectral Angle Mapper for the classification and mapping of the tapestry materials. The second method classifies the data by first extracting endmembers (reference spectra of pure materials) directly from the tapestry and then creating an internal database using the ENVI-Spectral Hourglass Wizard. This study emphasises the efficiency of each method as well as noting their limitations due to the specificities of the materials studied in the identification of tapestry textiles and dyes. The investigations revealed, for example, differences between the Manufactories in how different textiles were used in the production of tapestries. This comparison thus sheds light on the technical and aesthetic choices of the Manufactories and how they differ.

Le colloque EMAC (European Meeting on Ancient Ceramic) organisé en 2017 à Bordeaux a rassemblé des chercheurs des sciences des matériaux et des sciences humaines. Cette quatorzième édition a donné lieu à la publication de 14 articles autour des thèmes principalement explorés ces dernières années en Europe. Des questions de provenance à la mise en évidence de technologies de fabrication, le matériau céramique apparaît plus que jamais comme un vecteur d’informations dans une vision intégrée de la recherche archéologique. The EMAC (European Meeting on Ancient Ceramic) symposium in 2017 in Bordeaux brought together researchers from the material sciences and humanities. This fourteenth edition gave rise to the publication of 14 articles on themes mainly explored in recent years in Europe. From questions of provenance to the highlighting of manufacturing technologies, the ceramic material appears more than ever as a vector of information in an integrated vision of archaeological research.

Probably the most important Romanesque artwork in Spain, the Portal of Glory of Santiago de Compostela is essentially made in granite, the most abundant stone in the NW of Iberia, with the only exception of five marble pieces. Different hypothesis on the origin of these marbles have previously been proposed based on visual assessment or by directly assuming a local source. To shed light on their quarry provenance, a multi-analytical study was performed combining polarized-light optical microscopy, cathodoluminescence microscopy, XRPD, SEM-EDS and stable C and O isotopes. The comparison of the results with the available databases reveals the use of marbles from the Estremoz Anticline (Portugal) in the three exquisitely carved columns strategically placed in the central arcade, whereas the other two pieces are local marbles, illustrating a more complex consumption of this noble material than that initially expected.

Combined analysis methods such as optical microscopy (OM), cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM–EDX) have made it possible to obtain the first physico-chemical data of Dacian potsherds, exhumed at the archeological site of Ocnița-Buridava, Romania, the samples were provided by the “Aurelian Sacerdoțeanu” County Museum Vâlcea, dating from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD. The mineralogical and petrographic analyses revealed two types of ceramic pastes, taking into account the granulometry of the inclusions and highlighting the choice of the potter for fabricating the ceramic either by wheel or by hand. All samples showed an abundance in quartz, mica (muscovite and biotite), and feldspars. These observations were confirmed by cathodoluminescence imagery, revealing heterogeneous pastes with varied granulometric distributions. The XRD patterns indicated the presence of the mineral phases, indicating a firing temperature below 900 °C. The wheel-made ceramics have a fine, compact matrix with very fine inclusions (&lt, 40 µm). On the other hand, the hand-made ceramics present a coarse matrix, with inclusions whose granulometry reaches approximately 2 mm. The difference between these two types of ceramics is also confirmed by the mineralogical and chemical analysis. The wheel-made potsherds are more abundant in MgO, Al2O3, and CaO contents.

The production of pottery represented a significant pyro-technological progress in the ancient world. Two types of characteristics pottery from the transitional period (Neolithic to Chalcolithic) found at the Tappeh Zaghe in northern Iran were analyzed in order to investigate newly formed phases produced during the firing stage of pottery. This might have been a sign of technological evaluation through transitional period. Petrographic analysis, coupled with multi-image analysis, X-ray powder diffraction and environmental scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-rays (ESEM-EDX) provided information on the compassion and microstructure of ceramic samples. Synchrotron micro-XRD beamline allowed the spatial mapping of crystalline phases from near surface (at the surface) into the matrix of potteries and the detection of minute, major and minor phases. The mineralogical interaction between various primary phases and decomposition regard carbonate reaction within the potteries fabrication in the as-received. New phases were followed across the wall thickness which were achieved by sintering (partial or total) and show a clear transition from outer side to the core of the pottery.

Controlled laser irradiation parameters using recently developed sub-nanosecond pulsed laser technology with emission wavelength in the near Infrared regime (1064 nm) have been assessed on a Pleistocene bone from the archaeological site of Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain. Burst pulse mode was employed to explore contaminant removal efficiency, while at the same time, assessing the degree of damage produced to the underlying original substrate surface. The surface morphology and composition of the deteriorated bone have been characterized, along with the effects of laser irradiation at 1064 nm, using Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy–with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (SEM–EDS), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The most effective laser cleaning parameters in burst mode have been identified in order to optimize the emission parameters of the laser, thus localizing its interaction within the outermost layers of contaminants and degradation products, avoiding damage to the underlying original bone surface. Hence, threshold cleaning and substrate damage values have been determined for this new sub-ns laser, paving the way to safer laser cleaning procedures that may be useful for the effective conservation of bone archaeological artifacts., Project supported by H2020-MSCA-ITN-EJD/ED-ARCHMAT action funding under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement, no 766311. Partial support obtained from Departamento de Ciencia, Universidad y Sociedad del Conocimiento of Gobierno de Aragón “Construyendo Europa desde Aragón” (research group T54_20R). The Atapuerca research project is financed by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades project PGC 2018-093925-B-C33. Fieldwork at the Atapuerca sites is funded by the Junta de Castilla y León and the Fundación Atapuerca. The fossil analysed in this work was made available by the Laboratory of Human Evolution of the University of Burgos, in close collaboration with the “Colección Museística de Castilla y León” of the Junta de Castilla y León; we acknowledge Professor Juan Luis Arsuaga for the permit to analyse the sample. The use of Servicio General de Apoyo a la Investigación and the National Facility ELECMI ICTS, node “Laboratorio de Microscopías Avanzadas” at the University of Zaragoza is acknowledged. This work is part of the ongoing collaboration between INMA (CSIC-University of Zaragoza) and University of Burgos, under the auspices of Unidad Asociada de I+D+i al CSIC “Vidrio y Materiales del Patrimonio Cultural (VIMPAC)”.

International audience

Archaeological burial contexts may include a variety of white substances, but few analyses have been published. This study reports on the physico‐chemical characterization of such residues from seven archaeological sites. It is often assumed that white materials from burial contexts are lime. Our findings demonstrate that they can be gypsum, calcite (chalk), aragonite, brushite, degraded metal, natural (gum) resins or synthetic polymer–based products. These may be present as the result of diagenetic processes, funerary practices or modern contamination. This paper provides an analytical approach for the holistic investigation of white materials encountered in burial contexts.

espanolEn arqueologia andina, el estudio de las formas y decoraciones de artefactos ceramicos es fundamental para la comprension de la evolucion de la cultura material de una o varias entidades colectivas. En el caso preciso de las decoraciones a base de pintura, su estudio se inicia con el registro adecuado a partir, por ejemplo, de observaciones macroscopicas y microscopicas en superficie o en seccion. Estas observaciones se pueden complementar con la determinacion de colores mediante el uso de uno o varios sistemas estandarizados de medida de color. Si bien estas practicas se realizan con el fin de documentar, por ejemplo, la paleta de colores empleada por artesanos del pasado, es importante tener un conocimiento preciso sobre las materias primas y las recetas utilizadas en la produccion de dichas pinturas; y es que la caracterizacion de unas y otras permitira acceder, al menos de forma inicial, a la definicion de las dinamicas socioeconomicas vinculadas a la explotacion, uso y comercio de materiales asociados a la produccion ceramica. Bajo estas premisas, y en el marco de este trabajo de investigacion, se presentan los resultados de la caracterizacion quimica y mineralogica, mediante fluorescencia de rayos X portatil (pXRF) y espectrometria Raman, de pinturas de un grupo de ceramicas mochica y cajamarca hallado en el sitio arqueologico de San Jose de Moro (valle de Jequetepeque, La Libertad, Peru). EnglishIn Andean archaeology, the study of vessel forms and slips is essential. The study of slips begins with macroscopic and microscopic observations on ceramic surfaces or sections and these observations can be complemented with the determination of colors applying one or more standardized systems of measure. These technical practices are executed in order to have a better knowledge about the palette de couleurs used by craftsmen in the past. Recently, with the new technologies applied to archaeology, it is possible to have a better knowledge of the recipes used in the elaboration of the slips, and thus, it is possible to contribute to the interpretation of social-economic dynamics regarding the ceramic production process.Following these premises, in this research we present the results of the chemical and mineralogical characterization, by means of portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) and Raman spectrometry, of ancient Mochica and Cajamarca slips (San Jose de Moro archaeological site, Jequetepeque Valley, La Libertad, Peru).

The work focuses on the potential of structural and chemical examinations by scanning electron microscopy based methods for archaeometric studies on ceramics. Achieved by a single preparation technique (polished block sections), the feasibility and benefits of electron backscatter diffraction are demonstrated as case studies using polychrome examples of pre-Columbian pottery (Wari, Moche and Cajamarca). Elemental and phase maps allow for separate consideration of clay and temper. Identification of mineral phases and intergrowths of temper particles provide information for clarifying clay procurement and firing techniques with respect to local versus non-local pottery to enlighten trade relations, technological transfer and shared heritage of pre-Columbian cultures.

Japanese woodblock prints, also known as ukiyo-e prints, were mainly produced during the 18th and the 19th centuries. Japanese printers, colours-skilled craftsmen, used a palette composed of traditional pigments (indigo, red safflower or orpiment for instance). This palette was enriched during the 19th century with new pigments such as Prussian blue or, later, with aniline red and violet. Ukiyo-e generally display a vivid and varied hues of colours, obtained from pure colourants or mixtures of pigments. In order to reveal the colouring materials used by Japanese printers, hyperspectral imaging, in both visible and near-infrared ranges (400–1000 nm and 1000–2500 nm) was performed on a triptych designed by Kunisada/Tokugawa III, edited in 1855. This print, composed of three distinct panels, offers a dozen hues from light red to a deep violet. The aim of this work is to assess the information obtained by the hyperspectral camera in the near-infrared range and reinforce data acquired in the visible range. Indeed, the visible spectra are generally useful for the identification of pure colours but are less relevant in the case of mixtures or for some pigments, as for example Prussian blue. Usually used for the identification of binders, near-infrared spectra are also of interest for the colours and may be useful to support and complete hyperspectral data in the visible range, such as Prussian blue mapping.

Accurate radiocarbon (14C) dating of lime mortars requires a thorough mineralogical characterization of binders in order to verify the presence of carbon-bearing contaminants. In the last 20 years, cathodoluminescence (CL) has been widely used for the identification of geologic calcium carbonate (CaCO3) aggregates and unreacted lime lumps within the particle size fraction selected for carbon recovery. These components are major sources of older and younger carbon, respectively, and should be removed to obtain accurate age determinations. More recently, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) has provided another means of investigating the preservation state and composition of CaCO3 binders. Considered the growing interest of the mortar dating community in the latest advancements of these analytical methods, here we review the principles of CL and LIF of CaCO3, their instrument setup, and their application to the characterization of ancient lime mortars used for 14C dating. In addition, we provide examples of SEM-CL and LIF analyses using high-resolution instrumentation, we discuss current issues and propose future lines of research.

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International audience

International audience