Origin and production of silver in early medieval Poland

Modern archaeology makes use of analytical methods in order to answer questions about deposit and technological provenience of artefacts. This paper discusses selected and the most interesting, results obtained during the completion of a research project which focuses on silver from the 10th and 11th centuries in Poland. In total, 200 silver artefacts known from Polish hoards (found in Kalisz-Dobrzec, Nowa Obra, Wolsztyn District, Zalesie, Olsztyn District, Słuszków and Jastrzębniki, Kalisz District, Kalisz-Rajsków and Stojkowo, Kołobrzeg District and Naruszewo, Płońsk District) were studied. A micro-invasion LA-ICP-MS (Laser Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) was used for determinining lead isotope ratios in silver. The data obtained were evaluated using statistical methods which allowed reliable isotopic ratios in inhomogeneous alloy to be obtained. In order to study the provenance of silver, the obtained lead isotope ratios in the artefacts were compared with those of silver deposits. The use of SEM-EDX allowed the tracing of morphological changes and the measurement of quantitative elemental composition of coins, raw silver and jewellery according to technological traits

Resultados de los análisis químicos del suelo de Begastri.

Durante la investigación en el campo en 2013 en el sitio arqueológico multicultural Begastri en la región de Murcia en España, el suelo ha sido muestreado in situ desde los puntos de referencia. La investigación se propuso evaluar la presión humana en el sector norte del sitio arqueológico, que presumiblemente cambió sus funciones a lo largo de los siglos. Al elegir el lugar del sector residencial se tomaron en cuenta las habitaciones cuyas capas culturales se han defi nido previamente sobre la base de los hallazgos de los artefactos, principalmente piezas de cerámica, vidrio y objetos metálicos. Se extrajeron muestras de suelo de dos cavidades, una de las cuales se bisecó en dos áreas adyacentes, y luego se sometieron a análisis químicos, con el objetivo de determinar su composición elemental y factor de pH. No se revelaron anomalías dentro del sitio arqueológico al probar el factor de pH del suelo, lo que permitió que el estudio eliminara la posibilidad de infl uencia de la variación del factor de pH en la concentración de elementos individuales. También se determinó que el suelo es claramente alcalino, por eso se descubre ocasionalmente material orgánico. Para el análisis de muestras de suelo se han tomado en primer lugar a cuenta los elementos cuya presencia está asociada a las actividades humanas, como hierro, plomo, cobre, níquel, zinc, cobalto, cadmio y platino. Las capas que pueden infl uir en el factor de la presión antrópica se distinguieron sobre la base de altos niveles de elementos tales como manganeso, cobre, zinc, níquel y cobalto. Tanto la presencia de elementos principales (hierro y plomo), como los oligoelementos (cadmio y platino) varían en cada capa, lo que excluye conclusiones claras sobre su origen. Los análisis se realizaron con la técnica de espectrometría de masas plasmática acoplada inductivamente (ICP - MS) en el Laboratorio de Técnicas Analíticas Nucleares en Varsovia. La investigación geológica en el sitio arqueológico está planifi cada para completar el estudio de determinaciones químicas.During the 2013th fi eld research on multicultural archaeological site Begastri in the region of Murcia in Spain, soil has been sampled in situ from reference points. The research was purposed to assess human pressure on the northern sector of the archaeological site, which presumably changed its functions over the centuries. When choosing the place of the residential sector were taken into account rooms whose cultural layers have been previously defi ned on the basis of the fi ndings of artefacts, mostly pieces of pottery, glass and metal objects. Soil samples from two cavities were extracted, one of which was bisected in two adjacent areas, and then subjected to chemical analyses, aiming to determine their elemental composition and pH factor. No abnormalities within the archaeological site were revealed while testing the soil’s pH factor, which enabled the study to eliminate the possibility of infl uence of pH factor variation on concentration of individual elements. It was also determined that the soil is clearly alkaline, that’s why organic material is occasionally discovered. For the analysis of soil samples have been taken fi rst of all in account of elements whose presence is associated with human activities, including iron, lead, copper, nickel, zinc, cobalt, cadmium and platinum. Layers, which may infl uence the anthropopressure agent, were distinguished on the basis of high levels of such elements as manganese, copper, zinc, nickel and cobalt. Both the presence of major elements (iron and lead), as well as trace elements (cadmium and platinum) varies in each layer, which forecloses clear conclusions about their origin. Analyses were performed with the technique of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP - MS) in the Laboratory of Nuclear Analytical Techniques in Warsaw. Geological research on the archaeological site is planned to complete the study of chemical determinations

Surface prospection of soil samples composition of elements originate from “Meteoryt Morasko” reserve

The research was focused on strewnfield in “Meteorite Morasko” reserve. The main goal of the project was to find correlation between chemical composition of soil and concentration of cosmogenic material which was discovered in the region. After field prospection the sampling was made for three reference regions in the reserve. ICP-MS method was used to determine the elemental composition of soil samples. Investigation has been carried out to indicate the chemical components which iron meteorite matrix is built of like Fe, Ni and Co. Results of the study gave information about distribution and correlation of chemical components in the reserve