Technological Analysis of the Calcite Beads from the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan

2014 ◽  
Vol 1618 ◽  
pp. 97-107
Author(s):  
Emiliano R. Melgar Tísoc ◽  
José Luis Ruvalcaba

ABSTRACTIn the Great Temple at Tenochtitlan, the archaeologists found more than 150 offerings with thousands of pieces, most of them made on foreign raw materials to the Basin of Mexico. Among these votive contexts, the Chamber III of stage IVa (AD 1440-1469), buried during the government of Moctezuma I, is one of the most richness offerings of the temple. Inside this context, the quantity of greenstone beads is huge, and among them, there is a group of translucent appearance that resembles the green calcite objects from the Huastec region. The purpose of this research is to confirm or discard this probable cultural origin and technological manufacture of these beads. To do that, we perform different analysis with neither non-destructive nor invasive techniques like X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman, Optic Microscopy (OM), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). By this way we could confirm the similarities among Huastec pieces and these beads, both at mineralogical and technological levels. Based on that, and supported with some written sources from the Colonial period, we propose that these pieces could be war prizes and looted objects by pillage during the Aztec campaigns against Huastec sites; furthermore some of these goods were deposited as victory´s gifts to the gods at the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan.

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 3781 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodica Mariana Ion ◽  
Bulat A. Bakirov ◽  
Sergey E. Kichanov ◽  
Denis P. Kozlenko ◽  
Alexander V. Belushkin ◽  
...  

The color characteristics, vibration spectra, phase and mineral composition, internal structural organization of several fragments of the ancient Roman mosaics from the Roman Mosaic Museum, Constanta, Romania were studied by non-destructive (Chromatic analysis, Neutron Diffraction, Neutron Tomography) and micro-invasive techniques (Optical Microscopy, X-ray Diffraction, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy–Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, Wavelength Dispersion X-ray Fluorescence). These investigations were performed in order to characterize the original Roman mosaic fragments. The major and minor phase components of the studied mosaic fragments were determined, the crystal structure of the main phases was analyzed, and their three-dimension spatial arrangement was reconstructed. The similar composition of the major phases of all mosaic fragments can indicate a generic recipe for making mosaic elements, but minor phases were presumably added for coloring of mosaic pieces. Some degradation areas inside the volume of the mosaic fragments were found by means of neutron diffraction and neutron tomography methods. These degradation areas are probably related to the formation of iron hydroxides during chemical interactions of mosaic fragments with the sea and urban polluted atmosphere.


Heritage ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 2691-2703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Corregidor ◽  
Rita Viegas ◽  
Luís M. Ferreira ◽  
Luís C. Alves

Old manuscripts are among the most important elements of the cultural and historical heritage of ancient knowledge. Unfortunately, many of them suffer from degradation, mostly those written with iron gall inks. In the present work, a study using non-destructive techniques was designed with the aim of analyzing the elemental composition and structural characteristics of iron gall inks, reproduced in laboratory, paper and their interaction when the ink is deposited on paper, inducing the paper degradation. Proton induced X-ray emission, X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy provided the elemental and structural information, and photography under infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) light allowed the differentiation between manufactured inks. Results show that the first step of inked paper deterioration is due to acid-hydrolysis of the cellulose and the presence of reactive Fe(II) species by reducing the crystallinity index of the paper, which is affected depending on the ink recipe and the starting raw materials. These results will be useful to future studies on ancient documents written with iron gall inks, which suffer deterioration due to ink corrosion, and to differentiate between the different paper degradation mechanisms.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pasquale Acquafredda

Abstract The techniques of chemical investigation by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) are widespread since the 50s of the last century. Depending on the accuracy of the desired data and on the artifact characteristics, they can be used as partially destructive or as absolutely non-destructive and non-invasive techniques. The archeomaterials that can be analyzed are the most disparate: minerals, rocks, metals, building materials, pigments, and so on; practically almost everything that is solid, liquid or gelatinous can be analyzed by XRF. The theoretical physical principles and the main components of X-ray spectrometers, in energy dispersion (ED) and wavelength dispersion (WD), are described, also comparing the advantages and disadvantages of each analytical technique. In the last decades, the diffusion of the ED silicon drift detectors, together with the development of very accurate and high specialized software for quantitative analysis, has given a new impulse to the diffusion of the portable spectrometers offering new possibilities for in situ and very rapid archeomaterial characterizations. Case studies related to different artworks, like ceramics, necklaces, coins, obsidians and other lithic artifacts will also be presented: they show the important contribution that X-ray spectrometer technique gives to solve problems related to the characterization, restoration and to the source identification of the raw materials.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuliskandar Ramli ◽  
Muhammad Nu'man Mohd Nasir ◽  
Abdul Latif Samian ◽  
Nor Zalina Harun ◽  
Mohd Shamsul Bahari Abdul Hadi ◽  
...  

XRD and XRF analysis on the ancient bricks were conducted to identify whether the raw materials to produce the bricks originate from the site. Candi Kampung Baru is recorded as one of the temple that used bricks as the main construction material. This site is suggested to be built between the 8th to 10th centuries AD based on the size of the bricks and imported ceramics associated with the structure. The position of this candi that is facing to the north is a major indication that the candi in Kampung Baru Site is one of the many Buddhist candis that have been found in Bujang Valley. This study used X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis techniques to identify the composition of the major and trace elements and minerals found in the bricks. The results of the analysis on the ancient brick of Candi Kampung Baru revealed that the mineral content contained in the brick samples consists of quartz, muscovite, microcline and sanidine. Minerals found suggest that open burning technique was used during the brick making process with the local raw clay sources were used to produce the bricks. The results therefore implied that the participation of the local communities in Old Kedah Kingdom contributed to the prosperity of this region.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuliskandar Ramli ◽  
Muhammad Nu'man Mohd Nasir ◽  
Abdul Latif Samian ◽  
Nor Zalina Harun ◽  
Mohd Shamsul Bahari Abdul Hadi ◽  
...  

XRD and XRF analysis on the ancient bricks were conducted to identify whether the raw materials to produce the bricks originate from the site. Candi Kampung Baru is recorded as one of the temple that used bricks as the main construction material. This site is suggested to be built between the 8th to 10th centuries AD based on the size of the bricks and imported ceramics associated with the structure. The position of this candi that is facing to the north is a major indication that the candi in Kampung Baru Site is one of the many Buddhist candis that have been found in Bujang Valley. This study used X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis techniques to identify the composition of the major and trace elements and minerals found in the bricks. The results of the analysis on the ancient brick of Candi Kampung Baru revealed that the mineral content contained in the brick samples consists of quartz, muscovite, microcline and sanidine. Minerals found suggest that open burning technique was used during the brick making process with the local raw clay sources were used to produce the bricks. The results therefore implied that the participation of the local communities in Old Kedah Kingdom contributed to the prosperity of this region.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
José Ángel Garrido-Cordero ◽  
Carlos P. Odriozola ◽  
Ana C. Sousa ◽  
Victor S. Gonçalves ◽  
João Luís Cardoso

Fluorite ornaments have been recorded in different sites of Europe since Upper Paleolithic. Due to its visual appearance and physical properties, some translucent or transparent mineralogies like fluorite were searched for or casually acquired by late prehistory’s human communities. After intensive research on archaeological contexts from the Iberian Peninsula with personal ornaments from 4th to 2nd millennia BCE, we have recently identified and characterized for the first time an important number of fluorite ornaments, confronting a previous background where little attention was paid. Our work has been carried out in different archaeological collections and museums from the whole Iberian Peninsula by non-destructive techniques (Raman spectroscopy, portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), that revealed the nature of fluorite ornaments and points to its consideration as scarce and highly symbolic items during late prehistory. A total of 36 fluorite beads from 23 sites are here recorded and studied, many of them inedits or wrong catalogued as other mineralogies. These adornments could have important roles in trade and use among the communities of Iberia from the 4th millennium BCE onwards, because of their scarcity and its recurrent association with important funerary complex and exotic materials. Fluorite ornaments could have been significant and special symbols in the development of new and exclusive raw materials in the context of increasing social complexity and inequality.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Helen Jamil Khoury ◽  
Roberto Araújo ◽  
Sandra De Brito Barreto ◽  
Viviane Khoury Asfora

No presente trabalho são 1 apresentados os resultados de estudos por fluorescência de raios X de tijolos brasileiros. Neste estudo foram avaliados 22 tijolos, sendo sete de Igarassu, dois do Forte do Brum e 13 de Olinda. Um equipamento portátil de fluorescência de raios X por dispersão de energia foi desenvolvido para este estudo. Análises por difração de raios X também foram efetuadas para determinar as fases cristalinas presentes nos tijolos. Os resultados mostraram a existência de fases minerais, como quartzo, em todos os tijolos avaliados. A Análise da Componente Principal foi aplicada aos dados dos espectros de fluorescência de raios X obtidos. Os resultados mostraram que a partir do gráfico de scores das componentes principais CP1 e CP3, respectivamente representadas pelo Fe e Ca, foi possível separar os tijolos de Igarassu e do Forte do Brum em cinco grupos, que estavam associados com o século de fabricação. Por sua vez, os tijolos de Olinda foram separados em dois grupos, sendo um formado por um único tijolo e o outro grupo pelos demais tijolos. Estes resultados sugerem que os tijolos foram produzidos com diferentes matérias primas ou em diferentes locais. ENERGY DISPERSIVE X-RAY FLUORESCENCE APPLIED TO THE CHARACTERIZATION OF BRICKS OF PERNAMBUCO HISTORICAL SITESABSTRACTThis work presents the results of X-ray fluorescence analysis of Brazilian bricks, collected from several historical sites of the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. In this study, twenty two bricks were analyzed; seven from Igarassu, two from Forte do Brum in Recife, and thirteen from Olinda. A portable X-ray fluorescence system was assembled and used for the qualitative determination of the chemical elements present in the samples. X-ray diffraction analysis was also carried out to determine the crystal mineral phases in the bricks. All the bricks studied showed several minerals, such as quartz A Principle Component Analysis was applied to the full X-ray fluorescence spectra. In the score plot of principal components PC1 and PC3, represented by Fe and Ca respectively, it can be seen that the results for the bricks from Igarassu and Forte do Brum may be grouped in five clusters corresponding to the bricks´ century and manufacture locations. The analysis of the Olinda bricks yielded two separate groups, one with a single brick and the second group with the other eleven bricks. These results suggest that the bricks were produced with different raw-materials or manufactured in different locations.KEYWORDS: non-destructive analysis; X-ray fluorescence; cultural heritage; bricks; X-ray diffraction.


Author(s):  
A. R. Lang

AbstractX-ray topography provides a non-destructive method of mapping point-by-point variations in orientation and reflecting power within crystals. The discovery, made by several workers independently, that in nearly perfect crystals it was possible to detect individual dislocations by X-ray diffraction contrast started an epoch of rapid exploitation of X-ray topography as a new, general method for assessing crystal perfection. Another discovery, that of X-ray Pendellösung, led to important theoretical developments in X-ray diffraction theory and to a new and precise method for measuring structure factors on an absolute scale. Other highlights picked out for mention are studies of Frank-Read dislocation sources, the discovery of long dislocation helices and lines of coaxial dislocation loops in aluminium, of internal magnetic domain structures in Fe-3 wt.% Si, and of stacking faults in silicon and natural diamonds.


1983 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Salamanca-Riba ◽  
B.S. Elman ◽  
M.S. Dresselhaus ◽  
T. Venkatesan

ABSTRACTRutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) is used to characterize the stoichiometry of graphite intercalation compounds (GIC). Specific application is made to several stages of different donor and acceptor compounds and to commensurate and incommensurate intercalants. A deviation from the theoretical stoichiometry is measured for most of the compounds using this non-destructive method. Within experimental error, the RBS results agree with those obtained from analysis of the (00ℓ) x-ray diffractograms and weight uptake measurements on the same samples.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Subiyanto Subiyanto

Palm oil industry in Indonesia has been growing rapidly. But, unfortunately the growth is only effective on upstream industry with low value products, such that potential downstream value added are not explored proportionally. The government is therefore in the process of developing an appropriate policy to strengthen the national palm oil downstream industry. This paper proposes that an approriate policy for developing palm oil downstream industry could be derived from the maps of value chain and existing technology capability of the industry. The result recommends that government policy should emphasize on the supply of raw materials, infrastructure and utilities, as well as developing the missing value chain industry, especially ethoxylation and sulfonation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document