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Slater, E. A. and Tate, J., eds. (1988).
Science and archaeology Glasgow 1987
.
Title
The title of the publication or report
Title:
Science and archaeology Glasgow 1987
Series
The series the publication or report is included in
Series:
British Archaeological Reports
Volume
Volume number and part
Volume:
196
Publication Type
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Publication Type:
Monograph Chapter (in Series)
Editor
The editor of the publication or report
Editor:
E A Slater
J Tate
Year of Publication
The year the book, article or report was published
Year of Publication:
1988
Note
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Note:
Date Of Issue From: 1988
Source
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Source:
BIAB (British Archaeological Abstracts (BAA))
Created Date
The date the record of the pubication was first entered
Created Date:
05 Dec 2008
Please click on an Article link to go to the Article Details.
Chapter Title
Access Type
Author / Editor
Page
Start/End
Abstract
Questions, answers and the consumer in archaeological science
R F J Jones
1 - 7
Introducing the 1987 Glasgow conference, au examines what archaeological science is supposed to do and how successfully it contributes to our understanding of the past. Much closer collaboration on individual projects is needed, comparability of results must be striven for, and a more integrated organizational framework is needed. (Remaining papers in this volume will be found at 89/128, 140, 177-9, and 197; nearly all stress the need for intimate collaboration between archaeologist and scientist.)
Ceramics and lithics
9 - 166
(Section 1 of the Glasgow Conference papers: see 89/124 for introduction. Papers represented in the volume only by abstracts are not listed here.) M S Tite (9-25) writes on 'The study of ancient ceramic technologies: past achievements and future prospects': advances have been made in understanding how ceramics were made and why particular production methods were used. Some new directions involving integrated studies of specific groups of ceramics by closely collaborating archaeometrist and archaeologist are suggested. M P Heyworth, J R Hunter, S E Warren & J N Walsh (27-40) describe 'The analysis of archaeological materials using inductively coupled plasma spectrometry': results are reported on 1st millennium AD glass from Southampton and Winchester, RB tiles from Brixworth church in comparison with Leicester area examples, and obsidian. D M Smith, F A Hart, R P Symonds & J N Walsh (41-56) have performed 'Analysis of Roman pottery from Colchester by inductively-coupled plasma spectrometry' and now have a database of chemical and archaeological data to assist in grouping, provenancing, and sourcing. A MacSween, J R Hunter & S E Warren (95-106) in 'Analysis of coarse wares from the Orkney Islands' describe ICPS and thin-section petrological work on stratified Neo Grooved Ware, Iron Age, and Norse pottery from Pool, Sanday, which showed that local clays and tempers could have been used. In 'Problem-specific provenance - a case study from medieval Wessex', P Spoerry (107-19) aimed to identify products from 13th century kilns in Dorset and adjacent counties, but only two kiln sites (Hermitage and Laverstock) are known from the area. Eight 'natural' regions were identified and thirty-one sites chosen for study, calling in documentary evidence to assist; clay samples from local sources are now under study. B Chapman, R C Janaway & A MacSween (121-44) conduct a 'Review of X-radiography of pottery with examples from several European prehistoric sites': they discuss applications of xero-radiography and other imaging techniques to the analysis of manufacturing processes of coarse pottery and the investigation of macroscopic inclusions (towards the assessment of sample size for elemental analysis). In general the technique is useful for revealing basal joins, voids, etc, is faster than conventional radiography, and can sometimes produce better results. Neo and Norse pottery from Pool (Ork) is treated.
Metals
167 - 303
(Second section of the Glasgow Conference papers. Those represented in the volume only by abstracts are not listed here.) P T Craddock & D Gale (167-91) present 'Evidence for early mining and extractive metallurgy in the British Isles: problems and potentials': mining and ore working methods are described and accumulating evidence for 14C-dated early mines in Britain is noted (Mount Gabriel, Cwmystwyth, and Great Orme Head). The lack of any smelting debris so far is a problem and perhaps a more primitive technique than those used in the Middle East should be sought. Elemental analysis may eventually relate artefacts to ore sources. Justine Bayley (193-207) examines 'Non-ferrous metal working: continuity and change', in which a brief survey of the period 2nd century BC to the end of the med period indicates the conservatism of the industry. The main innovations were the introduction of silver, brass, and pewter; also discussed are metal refining and alloy production, metal melting, crucible use and typology, moulds, waste, and alloy selection and use. J P Northover (223-34) in 'Copper, tin, silver and gold in the Iron Age' presents selected results from over 1000 analyses; he notes changes visible during the Iron Age, and different specialisms at some sites contrasting with a wide range of products at Hengistbury. In gold and silver alloys, composition and techniques are now better understood, and the coinage in ultimate Iron Age is clearly fully functional. Susan La Niece (235-46) discusses 'White inlays in Anglo-Saxon jewellery', using Kentish material in British Museum collections. The inlays are shell, magnesite and/or cristobalite, and bone/ivory, and a correlation with niello type is seen. S P Needham & D R Hook (259-74) write on 'Lead and lead alloys in the Bronze Age - recent finds from Runnymede Bridge'; analyses of six LBA (Ewart Park phase) lead objects excavated from the site are discussed in context of a catalogue of contemporary British lead objects and finds of tin. P T Wilthew, J O Tate & G R Dalgleish (275-82) have performed 'An XRF survey of Scottish pewter measures' of 18th and 19th century date, and these are discussed in relation to object type, date, and production centre. J G McDonnell (283-93) in 'Ore to artefact - a study of early ironworking technology' considers the ironworking process and smelting and smithing evidence (slag being assumed to derive from smithing unless proved otherwise). As many as four types of iron were available - ferritic, phosphoric, steel, and piled/banded structures. Knives from Hamwih display high technological skill, whereas those from York Coppergate show a decline in the later phases of the site, including the use of phosphoric iron. The last paper in this section is M Fabrizi (295-303) on 'Copper corrosion products: analysis and interpretation'; the development from 18th century of understanding of corrosion processes is traced and techniques for analysis considered, X-ray diffraction being best but other methods able to complement it.
Organics
305 - 484
(Third section of the Glasgow Conference papers. Those represented in the volume only by abstracts are not listed here.) T Gabra-Sanders (313-18) in 'Use of scanning electron microscopy to study fibres in textile remains' shows with reference to the Mary Rose textiles of 16th century that fleece types as well as spin-direction could be identified. H E Garland (319) is using an isocratic High Performance Liquid Chromatography system for analysing madder dyes. A N Garland (321-38) surveys 'Contributions to palaeohistology', finding insufficient attention paid to the potential contribution of histology to palaeopathology. Methods are outlined and some uses explained: these include identification of conditions like arteriosclerosis, study of deterioration conditions in a charnel house (see also 89/660), the 'anatomicopathological' approach to problematic specimens (eg cartilaginous ones), and histomorphometry (eg for estimating age at death). Charlotte Roberts (339-59) in 'Trauma and treatment in British antiquity; a radiographic study' has examined some 6000 skeletons for evidence of trauma and if/how it was treated. Splints were evidently involved in some instances; once again, very close collaboration between archaeologist and pathologist is called for. S E Antoine, P Q Dresser, A M Pollard, & A W R Whittle (369-80) in 'Bone chemistry and dietary reconstruction in prehistoric Britain: examples from Wessex' report some work on Neo samples (Wor Barrow and Hambledon Hill) and some Bkr/EBA samples; calcium, strontium, zinc, and magnesium analyses were done, isotopic ratios calculated, and some preliminary conclusions suggested. The SHARP programme continues with B Moffatt (381-90) describing 'Field tests for medieval dumps of blood at Soutra, Midlothian'. Nearly 300 000 pints of blood would have needed disposal over the 3-century occupation of the infirmary, whose presumed site was tested for lead values (from medicines) and pollen of medicinal plants, as well as for blood (using three standard pharmaceutical test kits). 'Organic residues in an Anglo-Saxon grave' were sought by G R Davies & A M Pollard (391-402) at the Atlantic Bay Trading Estate, Barry: the aim was to see if traces of human body could survive where bone does not, and thermogravimetric analysis (to estimate organic content of the soil) was followed by soxhlet extraction into chloroform/methanol, and the residue analysed for cholesterol by various forms of spectroscopy and chromatography. Results were judged useful, especially in the thoracic area, and the technique could be used in conjunction with soil phosphate analysis. S Wales & J Evans (403-12) offer 'New possibilities of obtaining archaeological information from coprolites', using Syrian samples. C Heron & A M Pollard (429-47) cover 'The analysis of natural resinous materials from Roman amphoras', in which gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of material used to seal the inside surfaces of transport amphorae (from London, Caerleon, etc) revealed resins extracted from conifers. Flavouring as well as sealing in of the contents may have been intended. Alix Powers (459-72) discusses 'Phytoliths: animal, vegetable and mineral?' with special reference to calcareous environments like the dune and machair of NW Scotland (Uist and Orkney) where other organic macrofossils rarely survive. All possible influences on the composition of the final phytolith suites must be examined. Phytolith analysis may also help differentiate between sources of organic materials. C O Hunt & G M Coles (473-84) in 'The application of palynofacies analysis to geoarchaeology' define their topic as the study of the whole organic assemblage found in non-acetolysed palynological preparations (fungi, wood cells, osteoblasts, amoeboid cysts, etc); these can indicate different types of human activity, as illustrated by data from Hognaston barrow (Derbys: buried soil and turfstack) and an Italian lakeside site.
Computers and statistics
E A Slater
James Tate
485 - 542
(Fifth section of the Glasgow Conference papers. Those represented in the volume only by abstracts are not listed here.) J D Wilcock (497-507) surveys 'Past and future directions in archaeological computing': some thirty years of computer archaeology have seen piecemeal and uncoordinated development of systems, partly unavoidable, but some basic recommendations for improving transferability of data are made. P L Main (509-18) in 'A computer database at the British Museum Research Laboratory for holding archaeometric data' describes the system he set up to provide an on-line combined database of analytical results from copper alloy objects, coins, ceramic petrology, thermoluminescence examinations and so on. Individual files can be accessed and general searches of the whole Research Laboratory Records System made, but much effort goes into upgrading data files for these purposes. T J Ringrose (521-39) in 'Exploratory multivariate analysis of stratigraphic data: Armstrong's data from Pin Hole cave re-examined' reports his use of Correspondence Analysis and a simulation method, together with Principal Components Analysis, to investigate the ecological and temporal associations with indicator groupings of species. The results lend support to R Jenkinson's interpretation of the Armstrong data.
The role of the Schlumberger array in archaeological prospection, with a note on sample preparation and storage of conducting anomalies used in simulation experiments
Arnold Aspinall
Christopher F Gaffney
491 - 493
Dating
543 - 667
(Sixth, final section of the Glasgow Conference papers. Those represented in the volume only by abstracts are not listed here.) M G L Baillie & D M Brown (543-8) provide 'An overview of oak chronologies'; the widespread variations in growth conditions of oak have led to investigation of aspects of past climate and environment (eg extreme events like volcanic eruptions). Significant advances are confidently expected with this valuable tool. Coralie Mills (549-65) in 'Dendrochronology: the long and the short of it' compares the performance of three statistical methods in crossmatching short test sequences derived from full sequences of known date: the methods are CROS, CROS-TWENTY and RESAMPLE. Cathy Groves & Jennifer Hillam (567-79) investigated 'The potential of non-oak species for tree-ring dating in Britain', looking at alder and ash, both relatively common in archaeological contexts (Somerset Levels, Alcester RB site, etc). Results indicated the possibility of matching these with oak curves; with modern wood samples it seemed that crossmatching with oak from the same site was needed, and much work lies ahead. E M Scott, M S Baxter, D D Harkness, T C Aitchison & G T Cook (581-9) report the first stage of a three-year programme of far-reaching analysis of 14C laboratory results to provide cross-checking of diverse laboratory procedures in 'The comparability of results across a sub-section of radiocarbon laboratories'. Ultimately this should provide improved understanding of the validity of routinely quoted errors. Fifty-eight labs are collaborating, and first indications are that in some circumstances the quoted errors are underestimates for liquid scintillation labs, overestimates for gas-counting labs. Moving on to thermoluminescence dating, I K Bailiff (613-21) describes 'The Durham TL dating service' and gives some recent results for pottery, brick, and burnt clay. Sampling strategies and experimental needs are explained. The technique is of most help in Iron Age and medieval periods (where 14C dating is of little use). Both high accuracy dating and low accuracy 'survey dating' are available. Results from Freswick Links (Late Norse) and Kebister (Neo?) are appended. K Strickertsson, D C W Sanderson, F Placido & J O Tate (625-33) report 'Thermoluminescence dating of Scottish vitrified forts: new results and a review': the dating techniques are described and results for Auldhill (Portencross) and Dundonald are reported. TL dates for ten vitrified forts indicate that three millennia separate the oldest from the youngest. In 'An electron spin resonance study of mollusc shells from archaeological contexts', R Williams, A M Pollard & J C Evans (635-45) explain the principles of the technique, potentially applicable to snail shells (which are unsuitable for 14C or TL dating). There is some promise that snail shells have an ESR signal which increases with assumed age. D S Gentles & D H Tarling (647-67) in 'Archaeomagnetic directional dating and magnetic analyses with special reference to a Scottish vitrified dun' describe work on samples from Tor a' Chorcain, Strath Oykel (Highland). Such techniques are very cheap and fast, and often highly informative. Material from separate locations in the fort appeared to have been burnt at the same time, calculated at between late 1st century BC and late 1st AD (95% confidence level), and heated to 600 C or more in a closed environment.
