The Archaeometry Laboratory at MURR: Developing Tools for Archaeological Provenance

University Of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia MO

Investigators

Abstract

Dr. Glascock will continue to operate an archaeometric center at the University of Missouri and employ the technique of neutron activation analysis to analyze the elemental composition of archaeological materials. This multi-elemental technique which allows the major, minor and trace elements of a material to be determined simultaneously and with considerable accuracy and precision. Of particular interest are potential analyses of ceramics, lithics, metal and bone. Through elemental analysis of archaeological materials, a number of significant kinds of questions can be addressed. NAA provides a taxonomic tool because it allows materials of similar composition to be grouped together. In some instances, it also permits the proveniencing of artifacts and thus may provide information about procurement practices, routes of trade and political boundaries. It may also improve understanding of ancient technologies and (through analysis of skeletal remains) give insight into prehistoric diet and nutrition. This project is particularly important because the Missouri laboratory is one of the very few which provide NAA service to archaeologists. It also plays an important role in training students and it maintains large data bases and is working actively to facilitate scientific access to them. Under this current award, Dr. Glascock will integrate high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with standard NAA procedures. He will develop calibration standards that will facilitate the integration of NAA and ICP-MS data. It is likely that within the coming years ICP-MS, because of its relative accessibility and more economic operating costs, will play an increasingly important role in archaeometric analysis and Dr. Glascock will work to provide standards for the archaeometric community. He will also explore the potential of solid-sample analysis via laser ablation and investigate new kinds of archaeometric studies such as slip and pigment analysis by laser ablation ICP-MS.