Physics Methods in Art & Archaeology. PHYS Michael Wiescher

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1 Physics Methods in Art & Archaeology PHYS Michael Wiescher Spring Semester 2014

2 Archaeologist in the 1930ties Somewhere in South America

3 80 years later --- How boring Somewhere is that? in USA

4 Physics Tools & Technology Danger & Adventure is gone Physics tools and modern technology dominate the analysis of art and archaeological artifacts! biological techniques represent a new frontier! Sequencing of nucleotide bases, Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Thymine, in DNA provides heritable genetic information! Goal of the course: Present a comprehensive overview of science techniques Present examples for application of these techniques

5 1.1. Goals and Purpose of Archaeometry Within archaeological artifacts there is a record to which an archaeologist is blind but which a physicists can hope to read (M.J. Aitken, Physics Report 1978) To be able to read and analyze archaeological or historical artifacts, you need to probe the microstructure of the matter to determine it s consistency and age. This requires non-destructive methods for material analysis and material dating which are provided by the tools developed for atomic and nuclear spectroscopy!

6 Micro-analytical tools in physics 1. Requirements for physics analysis tools and monitors Must provide unique signature Must be non-destructive or must require limited sample size 2. Signatures and Observables a. Atomic & Nuclear Spectroscopy EM spectrum in IR, optical, and UV x-ray signatures -ray signatures b. Nuclear Radiation and Decay Nature of radiation Production of radiation Radiation decay

7 Purpose of Material Analysis Techniques Artifact Purpose of Material Analysis Material Identification Technology Analysis Location Analysis Stone Obsidian Marble mineral content tracer elements tracer elements O, Sr isotopes O isotopes Ceramics hardness, element tracer elements content, texture C profile Glass chem. components Silicat structure analysis of material element content characteristics, chem. Metal components, molecular hardness, alloy structure structure, elemental isotope distribution or isotope components Paint, Tinctures and distribution, texture chem. structure, element content, crystal phase Purpose of Material Dating Techniques Determine age of artifact or material

8 Physics Methods in Material Analysis Atomic Spectroscopy Techniques include: absorption and emission spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy for molecular systems X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Nuclear Spectroscopy Methods range from: neutron activation techniques, nuclear resonance analysis, mass separation techniques natural decay measurements.

9 Physics Methods in Material Dating Biological, chemical & physics dating methods: Tree ring dating (Dendrochronology) Diffusion and Hydration Post-mortem chemistry, FUN, Amino Acid Archaeomagnetism Dating methods that rely on natural radioactivity: radio-carbon dating, potassium/argon dating, uranium/thorium dating, analysis of radiation damage, thermoluminiscence critical parameter, time-scale of radioactive clock!

10 Science methods for probing the forgotten & lost history of mankind!

11 Meet my Grand-Grand-Grand-Grand-Grandmother Pb Fe Co Ca Test of the imaging homogeneity by using argon in air Ar PbCO 3 (leadwhite) white pigment for preparing the backing (canvas, wood) and for highlighting bright areas, today TiO (titanium oxide) C x H y + FeO + CaC0 3 ) (calcinated Van Dyke Brown) a local product from the region near Cologne, which was used for the toning of darker brownish areas. (Fe 4 [Fe(CN) 6 ]) 3 (Prussian Blue, based on Fe)- was used for the blue tones of broche no Cu (Azurite) was observed. CoAlO 4 (Cobalt Blue or Smalt ) was used for sleeve. C x H y + FeO + CaC0 3 ) (calcinated Van Dyke Brown) a local product from the region near Cologne, which was used for the toning of darker brownish areas.