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Minerals
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The Significance of Applied Mineralogy in Archaeometry
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The Significance of Applied Mineralogy in Archaeometry

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Geochemistry and Geochronology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2024) | Viewed by 4406

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Stefano Pagnotta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Earth Science Department, University of Pisa, Pisa, Toscana, Italy
Interests: ore geology; mineralogy; archaeometry; elemental mapping; micro-LIBS; LIBS; geopolymers
Prof. Dr. Marco Lezzerini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Pisa, Via S. Maria 53, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Interests: geology; cultural heritage; ancient material analyses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In this Special Issue, we would like to focus attention on applied mineralogy in archaeometry and its many nuances.

Applied mineralogy is a discipline that characterizes and analyzes minerals, rocks, and other geological materials. In the field of archaeometry, it is crucial for gaining insight into the history and origin of ancient artifacts and materials.

Archaeologists use mineralogical analysis to determine the raw materials used in artifact creation and to understand the geological processes involved. Techniques such as X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence are used to identify crystal structures and chemical composition. Additionally, radiometric dating, which measures the radioactive decay of certain minerals, provides information on the age of artifacts such as ceramics, glass, and stone tools.

Applied mineralogy also helps to trace the movement and origin of ancient materials and artifacts, aiding in the understanding of trade networks and cultural interactions.

In conclusion, applied mineralogy plays a vital role in archaeometry, offering valuable information about the materials, processes, and history of ancient artifacts. It helps to reconstruct historical events and cultural interactions, contributing to a better understanding of the past.

Dr. Stefano Pagnotta
Prof. Dr. Marco Lezzerini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • portable and non-destructive techniques
  • new methods in applied mineralogy for archaeometry
  • ancient building materials
  • ancient provenance
  • raw material and manufacts circulation
  • metal smelting and melting
  • archeomineralogy
  • archeometallurgy

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 38494 KiB  
Article
Archaeometric Investigations on the Significance of Limestones in the Roman Provinces of the Southern Lower Danube
by Walter Prochaska, Vasiliki Anevlavi, Kalin Chakarov, Petya Andreeva and Ivan Sutev
Minerals 2025, 15(3), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15030267 - 4 Mar 2025
Viewed by 415
Abstract
In contrast to several types of marbles used in antiquity, where different data collections do exist, similar approaches for provenance analysis are not available for limestones. In general, limestones are characterised visually and by the examination of sedimentological parameters. The usual microscopic investigation [...] Read more.
In contrast to several types of marbles used in antiquity, where different data collections do exist, similar approaches for provenance analysis are not available for limestones. In general, limestones are characterised visually and by the examination of sedimentological parameters. The usual microscopic investigation of limestones and the characterisation of limestone artefacts are often impossible because of the large samples necessary for these investigations. It is demonstrated in this paper that for the provenance analysis of limestone, the same established methods used for assigning marbles to their origin can also be successfully used in the case of limestone. We investigated a series of Roman quarries (three different quarry regions) in the north of the Haemus Mountain Range in the region of Marcianopolis and Nicopolis ad Istrum with the aim of establishing a first database (isotope analyses and trace element analyses) to correlate limestone artefacts. All in all, 42 quarry samples from the locations Marciana, Samovodene and Koevtsi were investigated. Fifteen artefacts made of limestone were analysed. Two samples from Marcianopolis were assigned to the Marciana quarry, and seven artefacts from Nicopolis ad Istrum originate from the quarries of Samovodene. For six more samples from Nicopolis ad Istrum, no match to one of the sampled and investigated quarries was found; thus, the existence of one or more quarries in the area is presumed. An extension of the database and the investigation of further limestone quarries in the area certainly will compensate for this deficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Significance of Applied Mineralogy in Archaeometry)
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14 pages, 5211 KiB  
Article
Multianalytical Study of Archaeological Iron Nails of the Roman Period (First to Third Century) in Northern Spain
by Céline Rémazeilles, Maria Cruz Zuluaga, Egle Conforto, Abdelali Oudriss, Luis Ángel Ortega, Ana Martínez-Salcedo and Juan José Cepeda-Ocampo
Minerals 2025, 15(2), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/min15020168 - 11 Feb 2025
Viewed by 559
Abstract
In the archaeometallurgical study of iron nails to investigate Roman manufacturing processes, multi-analyte characterization provides information on alloy composition and microstructure. Nails from the Roman sites of Forua, Aloria, and Iuliobriga (northern Spain) were studied. To characterize the iron phases and microstructures of [...] Read more.
In the archaeometallurgical study of iron nails to investigate Roman manufacturing processes, multi-analyte characterization provides information on alloy composition and microstructure. Nails from the Roman sites of Forua, Aloria, and Iuliobriga (northern Spain) were studied. To characterize the iron phases and microstructures of the nails, optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with electron-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), micro-Raman spectroscopy, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) realized in environmental mode, and microhardness measurements were carried out. The chemical composition of the metal was determined by X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The corrosion mineralogical composition was determined by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). Aggressive burial conditions had a significant effect on the forms of corrosion of the Forua nails to the point of complete iron loss. Examination of the metal of the nails from the Aloria site revealed that most of the ironwork was made in the villa’s own forge. In the case of the Iuliobriga nails, different degrees of forging were identified associated with different workshops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Significance of Applied Mineralogy in Archaeometry)
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23 pages, 16528 KiB  
Article
Mortars in the Archaeological Site of Hierapolis of Phrygia (Denizli, Turkey) from Imperial to Byzantine Age
by Matteo Maria Niccolò Franceschini, Sara Calandra, Silvia Vettori, Tommaso Ismaelli, Giuseppe Scardozzi, Maria Piera Caggia and Emma Cantisani
Minerals 2024, 14(11), 1143; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14111143 - 11 Nov 2024
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Abstract
Hierapolis of Phrygia, an archaeological site in southwestern Turkey, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. During archaeological campaigns, 71 mortar samples from public buildings were collected, dating from the Julio-Claudian to the Middle Byzantine period. The samples were analyzed using [...] Read more.
Hierapolis of Phrygia, an archaeological site in southwestern Turkey, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. During archaeological campaigns, 71 mortar samples from public buildings were collected, dating from the Julio-Claudian to the Middle Byzantine period. The samples were analyzed using a multi-analytical approach including polarized optical microscopy (POM), digital image analysis (DIA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and SEM–EDS to trace the raw materials and understand the evolution of mortar composition and technology over time. During the Roman period, travertine and marble were commonly used in binder production, while marble dominated in the Byzantine period. The aggregates come mainly from sands of the Lycian Nappe and Menderes Massif, with carbonate and silicate rock fragments. Variations in composition, average size and circularity suggest changes in raw material sources in both Roman and Byzantine periods. Cocciopesto mortar was used in water-related structures from the Flavian to the Severan period, but, in the Byzantine period, it also appeared in non-hydraulic contexts. Straw became a common organic additive in Byzantine renders, marking a shift from the exclusively inorganic aggregates of Roman renders. This study illustrates the evolving construction technologies and material sources used throughout the city’s history. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Significance of Applied Mineralogy in Archaeometry)
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18 pages, 4239 KiB  
Article
The Role of Mineral and Organic Composition on the Phosphorus Content of Prehistoric Pottery (Middle Neolithic to Late Bronze Age) from NW Spain
by María Guadalupe Castro González, María Pilar Prieto Martínez and Antonio Martínez Cortizas
Minerals 2024, 14(9), 880; https://doi.org/10.3390/min14090880 - 29 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1369
Abstract
Phosphorus is a key element for identifying past human activity. Recently, phosphorus analyses have been extended to archaeological objects, aiming at distinguishing how depositional contexts contribute to its enrichment. In archaeological pottery, phosphorus might depend on several manufacturing and postdepositional processes (i.e., addition [...] Read more.
Phosphorus is a key element for identifying past human activity. Recently, phosphorus analyses have been extended to archaeological objects, aiming at distinguishing how depositional contexts contribute to its enrichment. In archaeological pottery, phosphorus might depend on several manufacturing and postdepositional processes (i.e., addition of organic temper, pigments, diagenetic incorporation). We analyzed by XRD, XRF, and mid-infrared (FTIR-ATR) spectroscopy 178 pots from eight NW Spain archaeological sites. These sites encompass different chronologies, contexts, and local geology. The phosphorus content was highly variable (224–27,722 mg kg−1) overall but also between archeological sites (1644 ± 487 to 13,635 ± 6623 mg kg−1) and within archaeological sites (4–36, max/min ratio). No phosphate minerals were identified by XRD nor FTIR-ATR, but correlations between phosphorus content and MIR absorbances showed maxima at 1515 and 980 cm−1, suggesting the presence of two sources: one organic (i.e., phosphorylated aromatic compounds) and another inorganic (i.e., albite and K-feldspar). Phosphorylated aromatics were most likely formed during pottery firing and were preserved due to their high resistance to temperature and oxidation. Meanwhile, albite and K-feldspar are among the P-bearing minerals with higher P concentrations. Our results suggest that P content is related to intentional and non-intentional actions taken in the pottery production process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Significance of Applied Mineralogy in Archaeometry)
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