TY - JOUR
T1 - Multispectral analysis of miniature nuragic bronze flasks
AU - Nocco, Carlo
AU - Pisu, Francesca Assunta
AU - Chiriu, Daniele
AU - Depalmas, Anna
AU - Lins, Sergio Augusto Barcellos
AU - Brunetti, Antonio
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding: This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 766311, and from the FSC 2014–2020 project by Regione Autonoma della Sardegna, “Sviluppo di una metodologia spettroscopica integrata e innovativa per la caratterizzazione di bronzi antichi” (CUP J81G17000140002).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/9/1
Y1 - 2021/9/1
N2 - Miniaturized bronze flasks represent a small portion of a wide metallurgical production that flourished in Sardinia (Italy) between the Final Bronze Age (FBA) and the Early Iron Age (EIA). They replicate a well-known and symbolic type of object, the pilgrims’ flask, common in all Europe and Mediterranean basin, and have but few archaeological parallels. For these reasons, their characterization can be considered important from an archaeological perspective. Three flasks, preserved at the Antiquarium Arborense museum (Oristano), were analyzed by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) and Raman spectroscopy, integrated by multispectral images. The samples, coming from illegal excavations, posed two problems: establishing their authenticity and investigating the alloy composition of such particular objects. All specimens presented a widespread degradation in the outer surface: XRF and Raman spectroscopy indicated the presence of copper oxides, calcium and copper carbonates deposits. The abscence of Zn, a clear marker of forgeries, was not detected by XRF. In two of the flasks, an unusual Sn content above 20%, was detected. For FBA and EIA, especially regarding southern Europe, Sn was extremely rare, and was possibly used with caution. Further results are presented herein.
AB - Miniaturized bronze flasks represent a small portion of a wide metallurgical production that flourished in Sardinia (Italy) between the Final Bronze Age (FBA) and the Early Iron Age (EIA). They replicate a well-known and symbolic type of object, the pilgrims’ flask, common in all Europe and Mediterranean basin, and have but few archaeological parallels. For these reasons, their characterization can be considered important from an archaeological perspective. Three flasks, preserved at the Antiquarium Arborense museum (Oristano), were analyzed by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) and Raman spectroscopy, integrated by multispectral images. The samples, coming from illegal excavations, posed two problems: establishing their authenticity and investigating the alloy composition of such particular objects. All specimens presented a widespread degradation in the outer surface: XRF and Raman spectroscopy indicated the presence of copper oxides, calcium and copper carbonates deposits. The abscence of Zn, a clear marker of forgeries, was not detected by XRF. In two of the flasks, an unusual Sn content above 20%, was detected. For FBA and EIA, especially regarding southern Europe, Sn was extremely rare, and was possibly used with caution. Further results are presented herein.
KW - Miniature bronze objects
KW - Monte Carlo
KW - Pilgrim flask
KW - Raman
KW - Sardinia
KW - XRF
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85113151073&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/heritage4030095
DO - 10.3390/heritage4030095
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85113151073
SN - 2571-9408
VL - 4
SP - 1716
EP - 1724
JO - Heritage
JF - Heritage
IS - 3
ER -