Comparative analysis of Iron Age bronze archaeological objects from a Picenum necropolis of Centre Italy with Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis

An archaeological area from the 8th and 7th centuries B.C. has been recently discovered during a rescue excavation near Matelica site (Marche Region, Italy) in the period 1994-2005. Out of the treasures found in the graves, 18 bronze objects have been chosen for Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) at the Budapest Research Reactor (BRR), selected from the 7th century B.C. archaeological founds of Matelica and Fabriano sites. Various investigations, already performed in the same field, have confirmed the applicability of the considered technique and the feasibility of the proposed experiment. Besides determining the major components of the analyzed fragments, some trace elements, such as Sb, As and Ag, have also been identified. The compositions of the different samples have been also compared, in order to gain information regarding possible workshops and provenance. The comparative analysis will be useful, moreover, to establish an eventual classification according to the chemical composition. The obtained results are complementary to those already achieved for the considered objects, including atomic absorption, atomic emission and neutron diffraction

A new PGAI-NT setup at the NIPS facility of the Budapest Research Reactor

Prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) is a well known tool for non-destructive bulk elemental analysis of objects. The measured concentrations are only representative of the whole sample if it is homogenous; otherwise it provides only a sort of average composition of the irradiated part. In this latter case one has to scan the sample to obtain the spatial distribution of the elements. To test this idea we have constructed a prompt gamma activation imaging – neutron tomograph (PGAI-NT) setup at the NIPS station of the Budapest Research Reactor, consisting of a high-resolution neutron tomograph and a germanium gamma-spectrometer. The samples are positioned relative to the intersection of the collimated neutron beam and the projection of the gamma-collimator (isocenter) by using an xyzω-moving table

Neutron based archaeometallurgical investigation of Picenan and Roman age metal objects from the Academia Georgica Treiensis collection (Italy)

Non-destructive prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA), neutron radiography (NR) and high resolution time-of-flight neutron diffraction (TOF-ND) have been applied to investigate metal archaeological artefacts belonging to the Academia Georgica Treiensis (AGT) collection. 8 archaeological items have been analysed, by using the facilities of the Budapest Neutron Centre (BNC). Some of these objects mostly dating back probably to the VI-IV century B.C. and presumed to be discovered in the Marche Region, Italy. The primary goal of the analyses was to advance the correct technological and material description of the objects, providing scientific data for further and more comprehensive comparative analyses also covering the find material from the close archaeological sites. The neutron investigations allowed determining the bulk composition, also providing either a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the phase composition and the structural properties of the constituents, or radiographic images, which would finally help to identify possible manufacturing techniques. Additional examinations, carried out by external milli-beam particle induced X-ray emission spectroscopy (PIXE), provided quantitative analyses of major and trace elements (e.g., Fe, Pb and As) in order to recognize the constitutive alloys and to supply information on the near-surface elemental composition, complementary to the data characteristic for the bulk. The obtained results, thought to be useful to set up a classification according to the chemical composition, and this way allow achieving important information related to the possible provenance of the objects

Terahertz, X-ray and neutron computed tomography of an Eighteenth Dynasty Egyptian sealed pottery

An Eighteenth Dynasty Egyptian sealed pottery stored at the Museum of Aquitaine (Bordeaux, France) has been investigated using terahertz radiation, X-rays and neutrons. THz computed tomography revealed non-destructively the presence of content, whereas X-rays and neutrons analyzed more precisely the fabrication process and conservation of the pottery together with the nature of this content owing to higher spatial resolution and contrast

Non destructive compositional analysis of historic organs reed pipes

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Terahertz, X-ray and neutron computed tomography of an Eighteenth Dynasty Egyptian sealed pottery

An Eighteenth Dynasty Egyptian sealed pottery stored at the Museum of Aquitaine (Bordeaux, France) has been investigated using terahertz radiation, X-rays and neutrons. THz computed tomography revealed non-destructively the presence of content, whereas X-rays and neutrons analyzed more precisely the fabrication process and conservation of the pottery together with the nature of this content owing to higher spatial resolution and contrast

Terahertz, X-ray and neutron computed tomography of an Eighteenth Dynasty Egyptian sealed pottery

An Eighteenth Dynasty Egyptian sealed pottery stored at the Museum of Aquitaine (Bordeaux, France) has been investigated using terahertz radiation, X-rays and neutrons. THz computed tomography revealed non-destructively the presence of content, whereas X-rays and neutrons analyzed more precisely the fabrication process and conservation of the pottery together with the nature of this content owing to higher spatial resolution and contrast

First elemental imaging experiments on a combined PGAI and NT setup at the Budapest Research Reactor

The European collaboration "ANCIENT CHARM" (http://ancient-charm.neutron-eu.net/ach/) aims to develop new non-destructive neutron techniques to image the internal composition of complex archaeological objects in order to answer various archaeological questions. Among these techniques, prompt gamma activation imaging (PGAI) and neutron tomography (NT) form a unique combination which can determine the 3D distribution of most elements in objects with a non-destructive procedure. A spatial resolution better than 2 mm has already been achieved in a moderately scattering matrix material

Petrographic and geochemical investigation of a stone adze made of nephrite from the site Balatonőszöd – Temetői dűlő (Hungary)

The present study reports on results of petrographic and geochemical analyses on a stone adze from the archaeological site Balatonőszöd – Temetői dűlő (Hungary). This is the largest excavated site of the Baden Culture in Hungary (more than 200.000 m2) and has the longest continuous settlement history. In the site, features of the Balaton-Lasinja Culture (Middle Copper Age) and the Boleraz Culture were also found. Altogether 500 stone artefacts were found and registered. The present study reports on the results of the investigation of a unique stone adze made of nephrite, found on the site. The nephrite adze found in Balatonőszöd – Temetői dűlő has proved to be the first find made of nephrite having an established archaeological context in Hungarian prehistory. By applying detailed petrographic, geochemical and petrophysical methods as well as comparing data from technical literature we located the origin of the raw material of the nephrite adze. Its most probable source is the Northern part of the Bohemian Massif, Lower Silesia, a geological site near Jordanów (Poland)