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Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights

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A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Crystallography and Physical Chemistry of Minerals & Nanominerals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 31633

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Daniel Albero Santacreu

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Guest Editor

Departament of Historical Sciences and Arts Theory, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma, Spain
Interests: archaeometry; archaeological ceramics; ceramic petrography; social technology; raw materials

Dr. José Cristóbal Carvajal López

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Guest Editor

Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
Interests: archaeometry; ceramic materials; petrography; Islamic archaeology

Prof. Dr. Adrián Durán Benito

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemistry, University of Navarra, 31008 Navarra, Spain
Interests: cultural heritage; materials science
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In this Special Issue of Minerals, we would like to gather a bunch of papers centered on showing the potential of mineralogical studies (e.g., petrography, mineral geochemistry, X-ray diffraction) to approach the composition of a wide diversity of archaeological materials such as ceramics, metals, stone artifacts, and sediments. The main objective is to demonstrate that the mineralogical characterization of these artifacts is crucial to address aspects related to the origin of the raw materials used in their manufacture and the technological processes applied by craftspeople.

We are interested in emphasizing the necessary relationship that must exist between natural sciences and social sciences when addressing the material culture related to human societies. In this sense, this issue is wide open to all those researchers who want to delve into the role of mineralogical analyses in the characterization of materiality and its potential to address anthropological concerns. Therefore, very welcomed will be works that develop methodological approaches, compositional analysis of the artifacts, study of the physical properties provided by minerals, and, of course, studies focused on interpreting the social and symbolic role that minerals play in both ancient and contemporary human societies.

Dr. Daniel Santacreu
Dr. José Cristóbal Carvajal López
Prof. Dr. Adrián Durán Benito
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

archaeometry
ceramics
glazes
metals
sediments
stone
mineralogy
petrography
geochemistry

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

38 pages, 8940 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Think Globally, Act Locally: Global Requirements and Local Transformation in Sugar Pots Manufacture in Sicily in the Medieval and Post-Medieval Periods

by Roberta Mentesana, Anno Hein, Marisol Madrid i Fernàndez, Vassilis Kilikoglou and Jaume Buxeda i Garrigós

Minerals 2022, 12(4), 423; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12040423 - 30 Mar 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2504

Abstract

Since medieval times, sugar production and consumption has had a huge impact on European social, cultural, and economic development. The introduction of sugar cultivation entailed knowledge transfer and new technological requirements, such as the manufacture of sugar pots used to crystallise sugar, which requires a specific design, and thermal and mechanical properties. This paper presents part of the results of the SPotEU project, funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, which explores the development and impact of sugar production in western Europe through the study of sugar pot manufacture from an interdisciplinary perspective, integrating archaeological and historical research with material science and material culture approaches. This paper focuses on sugar pots from Sicily, one of the main regions for sugar production in Western Europe in the 11–16th centuries A.D. Sugar pots were assessed from technological and performance points of view, aided by instrumental analysis (petrography, SEM, XRF, XRD, mechanical, and thermal property tests). The archaeological and analytical results are presented, revealing different centres of sugar pot production on the island, and specific choices in the design of the vessels and their properties. This allows us to discuss how craftspeople locally adapted their ceramic-making traditions to face the new product demands from the sugar production industry in the Mediterranean. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights)

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12 pages, 2901 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Archaeometric Study on Roman Painted Terracottas from the Sanctuary of Hercules in Alba Fucens (Abruzzo, Italy)

by Gilda Russo, Emanuela Ceccaroni, Aida Maria Conte, Laura Medeghini, Caterina De Vito and Silvano Mignardi

Minerals 2022, 12(3), 346; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12030346 - 11 Mar 2022

Viewed by 3468

Abstract

In a period spanning from the 7th to the 1st century BC, the exterior surfaces of civil and sacred buildings in Italy were mainly decorated with terracottas. The aim of this study is to determine the skills and technological level reached by ancient manufacturers of painted ceramics from the sanctuary of Hercules in the archaeological site of Alba Fucens (Abruzzo, Central Italy). A multi-analytical approach including X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), µ-Raman and portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) was applied to determine the mineralogical composition of terracotta samples and to identify the pigments decorating the ceramics. The studied terracottas were decorated using valuable pigments such as Egyptian blue as well as a palette of colors common in the Roman period from the 3rd to the 1st century BC. The mineralogical composition of the ceramics allows estimating a firing temperature lower than 800 °C. Finally, a local origin of raw materials is suggested by the presence of alluvial and lake deposits outcropping in the Fucino area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights)

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18 pages, 2335 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fernandina Wall of Lisbon: Mineralogical and Chemical Characterization of Rammed Earth and Masonry Mortars

by Ricardo Infante Gomes, António Santos Silva, Leandro Gomes and Paulina Faria

Minerals 2022, 12(2), 241; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12020241 - 13 Feb 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2319

Abstract

This paper aims to provide information on rammed earth and masonry mortars of the Fernandina defensive Wall of Lisbon, Portugal, which was built in the second half of the 14th century. No previous information exists concerning the materials and construction techniques used in this defensive structure, which is essential to increase knowledge and to define requirements for a reliable conservation. An experimental campaign was carried out on samples extracted in nine different sections of this structure, which were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry and wet chemical analysis. Calcitic lime was employed as a binder in the stone masonry bedding mortars and was also identified in the rammed earth samples. The results obtained allowed us to verify the use of different binders and aggregates, with heterogeneous binder/aggregate ratios, in different sections of the Wall. To reduce time for lime preparation and to achieve a durable lime matrix, most probably quicklime was used and hydrated together with the moistened earth to produce rammed earth and masonry bedding mortars. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights)

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15 pages, 3199 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Technological Characterization of Almohad Pottery Glazes from SW Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain)

by Daniel J. Albero Santacreu, Jose C. Carvajal López and Alejandro Ramos Benito

Minerals 2022, 12(1), 106; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12010106 - 17 Jan 2022

Viewed by 1735

Abstract

In this paper, we addressed the chemical composition and main features of a glazed Almohad ceramic assemblage recovered from Puig de Sa Morisca, a rural Islamic site located in southwest Mallorca. The glazes were analyzed by means of scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS). The archaeometrical analysis conducted allowed us to characterize the technological choices applied by potters from the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century. The exclusive use of lead-silica glazes was confirmed, which in some cases was opacified with tin. We also established that some tableware vessels, which were imported to the island, have shown glazes with a particular composition within the analyzed record. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights)

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18 pages, 5940 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mineralogical Characterization of Early Bronze Age Pottery from the Svilengrad-Brantiite Site, Southeastern Bulgaria

by Masanori Kurosawa, Masao Semmoto and Toru Shibata

Minerals 2022, 12(1), 79; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min12010079 - 09 Jan 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2403

Abstract

Several pottery sherds from the Svilengrad-Brantiite site, Bulgaria, were mineralogically and petrographically analyzed. The aim was to add information to the very scarce material data available for Early Bronze Age pottery in the southeastern Thrace plain, Bulgaria, in order to examine a possible raw-material source of the pottery. The characterization techniques applied were optical microscopy (OM), petrographic microscopy (PM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The pottery samples consisted of two typological groups: a local-made type and a cord-impressed decoration type influenced by foreign cultures. All of the samples were produced from fine clay pastes that had a quite similar composition, with abundant mineral grains of similar mineral composition and fragments of metamorphic and granitic rocks. The chemical compositions of each mineral in the grains and fragments were almost identical, and consistent with those from metamorphic and granitic rocks from the Sakar-Strandja Mountains near the study site. The clay paste compositions corresponded to those of illite/smectite mixed-layer clay minerals or mixtures of illite and smectite, and the clay-mineral species were consistent with those in Miocene–Pleistocene or Holocene sediments surrounding the site. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights)

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27 pages, 11381 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Supergene Copper and the Ancient Mining Landscapes of the Atacama Desert: Refining the Protocol for the Study of Archaeological Copper Minerals through the Case Study of Pukara de Turi

by Pía Sapiains, Valentina Figueroa, Frances Hayashida, Diego Salazar, Andrew Menzies, Cristián González, Rodrigo Loyola, Beau Murphy, Juan González, César Parcero-Oubiña and Andrés Troncoso

Minerals 2021, 11(12), 1402; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min11121402 - 11 Dec 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4101

Abstract

Northern Chile is home to the world’s largest copper ore deposits, which have been exploited for thousands of years by different groups, at varying scales and for different purposes. In this context, it is important to develop new protocols to characterise the mineralogical variability of archaeological copper ores. A comprehensive and representative methodology in the analysis of minerals, the application of non-destructive analytical techniques, and the combination of insights from geological, archaeological and local knowledge are key to developing a copper mineral repository of the Atacama Desert area. Geochemical analyses were applied to the study of 568 samples from the archaeological site Pukara de Turi, with different techniques such as micro-XRF, XRD, QEMSCAN, Raman spectroscopy and technological studies. This exhaustive analysis allowed for the recognition of two mineralogical associations: atacamite/brochantite (99%) and azurite/chrysocolla (1%). The study of various minerals allows data to be interpreted more reliably and to trace the likely geological sources of these minerals. The azurite/chrysocolla samples appear to belong to the same mineral association found in the Cerro Verde district, which is probably the source of these samples. The atacamite/brochantite samples appear to come from more than one geological source, including, but not limited to, Chuquicamata-Radomiro Tomic and El Abra-Conchi. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights)

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16 pages, 3288 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aqua Traiana, a Roman Infrastructure Embedded in the Present: The Mineralogical Perspective

by Michela Botticelli, Laura Calzolari, Caterina De Vito, Silvano Mignardi and Laura Medeghini

Minerals 2021, 11(7), 703; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min11070703 - 29 Jun 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2313

Abstract

Construction materials from the internal ducts of Aqua Traiana, a still operative Roman aqueduct built in 109 AD to supply water to Rome, were characterized by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and electron microprobe analysis (EMPA). Petrographic analysis and XRPD revealed that mortar aggregates are compatible with Vitruvius’ harena fossicia and allowed the distinction of the original mortars from those of the 17th-century papal restoration. The first showed an amorphous binder while the latter have a typical lime binder. By SEM-EDS and EMPA, the microstructure of mortar aggregates was analyzed and the composition of specific minerals quantified. Microanalysis testifies the Romans’ great expertise in the selection of pozzolanic building materials, giving evidence of the possible use of local tuffs from the Sabatini Volcanic District. It also confirms the exploitation of red pozzolan from the Roman Magmatic Province, specifically from the Alban Hills district. OM also proves a high compatibility with local supplies for bricks and cocciopesto. Of these, the first were fired at moderately low temperature, while the latter show an amorphous binder as in the original Trajan mortars. All building materials thus stand for similar technological choices and a coeval production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights)

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20 pages, 7113 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pitfalls and Possibilities of Patinated Bronze: The Analysis of Pre-Roman Italian Armour Using pXRF

by Joshua Emmitt, Andrew McAlister and Jeremy Armstrong

Minerals 2021, 11(7), 697; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min11070697 - 29 Jun 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2596

Abstract

Despite the importance of weapons and armour as part of material culture in the Mediterranean during the first millennium BCE, such objects have generally not been studied beyond stylistic analyses. Bronze was extensively used in the construction of these materials; however, its characterisation is complicated due to patination and the different manufacturing techniques used. We used portable XRF (pXRF) to non-destructively characterise bronze material in a way that mitigates the distorting effects of patina. Analysis was conducted on 23 pieces of pre-Roman Italian bronze armour. Assays were taken using two different techniques; ‘single point’ assays and ‘cluster’ assays. There is variability visible across assays both on and between items, grouped both geographically and chronologically. We highlight significant trends visible in the results over time and different object types and discuss the utility of pXRF on ancient bronze with recommendations for best practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights)

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20 pages, 6753 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Calle Horno del Vidrio—Preliminary Study of Glass Production Remains Found in Granada, Spain, Dated to the 16th and 17th Centuries

by Inês Coutinho, Isabel Cambil Campaña, Luís Cerqueira Alves and Teresa Medici

Minerals 2021, 11(7), 688; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min11070688 - 26 Jun 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1892

Abstract

A set of 14 glass fragments and production remains dated to the 16th and 17th centuries was collected during rescue archaeological works conducted in Granada, Spain, and was characterised by µ-PIXE. This preliminary study constitutes the first analytical approach to glass manufacturing remains from a Spanish production dated to the early-modern period. µ-PIXE allowed for the quantification of major, minor and some trace elements of the glass fragments. It also allowed mapping the elemental distribution on the fragments that were identified as an interface of crucible/glass. This analysis constitutes an evaluation of the ionic exchange between glass and crucible. The glass colours vary from the natural green and blue hues to completely colourless samples. The results show that the majority of the glass samples are of soda-lime-silicate composition, and only one proved to be of a potassium-rich composition. From this, one can hypothesise that glass rich in sodium (following the Mediterranean tradition) and potassium-rich glass (following a central and north European tradition) were both locally produced. Since this location was known as la Calle Horno del Vidrio (Glass Furnace Street) and several production evidences were found, it is highly probable that an artisanal glass production existed in this area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights)

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21 pages, 11567 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ancient Roman Mortars from Villa del Capo di Sorrento: A Multi-Analytical Approach to Define Microstructural and Compositional Features

by Concetta Rispoli, Renata Esposito, Luigi Guerriero and Piergiulio Cappelletti

Minerals 2021, 11(5), 469; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min11050469 - 29 Apr 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3200

Abstract

This research provides a characterization of ancient Roman mortars from “Villa del Capo di Sorrento” (commonly known as “Villa di Pollio Felice” or “Bagni della Regina Giovanna”). A deepened analysis of cementitious binding matrix and aggregates was conducted with the aims of determining possible sources of raw materials and the mix recipe, and to evaluate the minerogenetic secondary processes. Twenty samples taken from the Villa were investigated by means of a multi-analytical approach, including polarized optical microscopy on thin sections, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy analysis, energy dispersed spectrometry, simultaneous thermal analyses, and mercury intrusion porosimetry. Bedding mortars were made with slaked lime mixed with volcanic materials, whereas coating mortars were made adding to previous recipe as ceramic fragments. All samples were classified as hydraulic mortars. Cementitious binding matrix was characterized by gel-like C-A-S-H, calcite, hydrocalumite, and gypsum, deriving from lime/pozzolanic material. Geomaterials used for mortar production had a local origin. Pozzolanic materials, such as volcanic fragments, scoriae, pumice, and crystal fragments derived from both pyroclastic rocks of the Campi Flegrei district and from rocks of the Somma-Vesuvio complex; porosity test suggest that the products related to minerogenetic secondary processes, make mortars more resistant. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights)

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18 pages, 7194 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mineralogical Characterization of Carreaux de Pavement from Northern Spain (Tiebas, Navarre)

by Iván Ruiz-Ardanaz, Esther Lasheras and Adrián Durán

Minerals 2021, 11(2), 153; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min11020153 - 01 Feb 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2671

Abstract

Several medieval tiles from Tiebas Castle in Navarre, classified as carreaux de pavement, were mineralogically analyzed. The aim was to add information to the very scarce analytical data available for carreaux de pavement in order to provide a quality primary work, mainly descriptive, in this topic. The characterization techniques applied were: optical microscopy (OM), colorimetry, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetry (DTA-TG), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, petrographic microscopy (PM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The tiles comprised three layers: a top glaze with mainly silicon and lead-based compounds; a thin layer of silicoaluminate (very possibly kaolinite) called engobe under it; and the pastes, composed of quartz, hematite, potassium feldspars and calcite. Honey glazes were richer in iron, being copper-based compounds responsible for dark green glazes. The orangish-reddish color of the pastes was provided by hematite. Although the tiles were found in three different locations within the castle, no significant differences were detected among them. The carreaux de pavement from Tiebas had similarities with that from the Bordeaux region. According to the composition data and thickness of tiles from other French carreaux de pavement, the Tiebas artifacts were dated to the 13th century. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mineralogical Approaches to Archaeological Materials: Technological and Social Insights)

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