Release of lead from Renaissance lead-glazed ceramics from southern Denmark and northern Germany: implications from acetic acid etching experiments
Abstract Lead-glazed potsherds from archaeological excavations at six Renaissance (1536–1660 CE) sites in southern Denmark and northern Germany have been subjected to etching experiments using 4 wt% acetic acid. The extracts of 45 sherds were analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Heritage Science |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-022-00703-8 |
| _version_ | 1811341090123415552 |
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| author | Kaare Lund Rasmussen George R. Milner Thomas Delbey Lisa Kathrine Ivalu Jensen Frauke Witte Thilo Rehren Ulla Kjaer Poul Grinder-Hansen |
| author_facet | Kaare Lund Rasmussen George R. Milner Thomas Delbey Lisa Kathrine Ivalu Jensen Frauke Witte Thilo Rehren Ulla Kjaer Poul Grinder-Hansen |
| author_sort | Kaare Lund Rasmussen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Lead-glazed potsherds from archaeological excavations at six Renaissance (1536–1660 CE) sites in southern Denmark and northern Germany have been subjected to etching experiments using 4 wt% acetic acid. The extracts of 45 sherds were analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. At one site, the ducal hunting castle of Grøngaard, Pb levels in acid extracts from glazed dishes were so high (up to 29,000 µg Pb cm−2 day−1) that acute toxic effects likely occurred if the dishes were used for serving food containing vinegar. More moderate acid-etching Pb levels were found in dishes from other sites, but they still exceed the WHO critical level if used daily. Acetic acid etching experiments performed on pipkins (three-legged cooking pots with a handle) yielded somewhat lower Pb extract values, averaging ca. 25 µg Pb cm−2 day−1. Taking into account the widespread use of pipkins for cooking, they might easily have led to a higher weekly Pb intake than the use of the moderate-level dishes. The question remains whether such high levels of Pb exposure during meals led to injurious Pb intake. Prior skeletal analyses have shown that medieval to early modern individuals from the area, especially in towns, were exposed to Pb. While exposure could have come from various sources other than lead-glazed ceramics, such as cosmetics, paint, antibacterial ointments, and lead water pipes, widely distributed lead-glazed ceramics had the potential of being a main source of Pb. How the pottery was actually used is uncertain, and it certainly was not evenly distributed across all segments of society, but the etching experiment results suggest that severe poisonous effects could have resulted from the use of lead-glazed Renaissance ceramics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:51:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-299b69cdb1e544fca4e06d2d7c74e010 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-7445 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:51:34Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heritage Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-299b69cdb1e544fca4e06d2d7c74e0102022-12-22T02:34:24ZengSpringerOpenHeritage Science2050-74452022-05-0110111810.1186/s40494-022-00703-8Release of lead from Renaissance lead-glazed ceramics from southern Denmark and northern Germany: implications from acetic acid etching experimentsKaare Lund Rasmussen0George R. Milner1Thomas Delbey2Lisa Kathrine Ivalu Jensen3Frauke Witte4Thilo Rehren5Ulla Kjaer6Poul Grinder-Hansen7Institute of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern DenmarkDepartment of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State UniversityMuseum of Southern Jutland, Archaeology, HaderslevInstitute of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern DenmarkMuseum of Southern Jutland, Archaeology, HaderslevScience and Technology in Archaeology and Culture Research Center, The Cyprus InstituteMiddle Ages, Renaissance and Numismatics, National Museum of DenmarkMiddle Ages, Renaissance and Numismatics, National Museum of DenmarkAbstract Lead-glazed potsherds from archaeological excavations at six Renaissance (1536–1660 CE) sites in southern Denmark and northern Germany have been subjected to etching experiments using 4 wt% acetic acid. The extracts of 45 sherds were analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. At one site, the ducal hunting castle of Grøngaard, Pb levels in acid extracts from glazed dishes were so high (up to 29,000 µg Pb cm−2 day−1) that acute toxic effects likely occurred if the dishes were used for serving food containing vinegar. More moderate acid-etching Pb levels were found in dishes from other sites, but they still exceed the WHO critical level if used daily. Acetic acid etching experiments performed on pipkins (three-legged cooking pots with a handle) yielded somewhat lower Pb extract values, averaging ca. 25 µg Pb cm−2 day−1. Taking into account the widespread use of pipkins for cooking, they might easily have led to a higher weekly Pb intake than the use of the moderate-level dishes. The question remains whether such high levels of Pb exposure during meals led to injurious Pb intake. Prior skeletal analyses have shown that medieval to early modern individuals from the area, especially in towns, were exposed to Pb. While exposure could have come from various sources other than lead-glazed ceramics, such as cosmetics, paint, antibacterial ointments, and lead water pipes, widely distributed lead-glazed ceramics had the potential of being a main source of Pb. How the pottery was actually used is uncertain, and it certainly was not evenly distributed across all segments of society, but the etching experiment results suggest that severe poisonous effects could have resulted from the use of lead-glazed Renaissance ceramics.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-022-00703-8RenaissanceCeramicsGlazingLeadEtchingNorthern Europe |
| spellingShingle | Kaare Lund Rasmussen George R. Milner Thomas Delbey Lisa Kathrine Ivalu Jensen Frauke Witte Thilo Rehren Ulla Kjaer Poul Grinder-Hansen Release of lead from Renaissance lead-glazed ceramics from southern Denmark and northern Germany: implications from acetic acid etching experiments Heritage Science Renaissance Ceramics Glazing Lead Etching Northern Europe |
| title | Release of lead from Renaissance lead-glazed ceramics from southern Denmark and northern Germany: implications from acetic acid etching experiments |
| title_full | Release of lead from Renaissance lead-glazed ceramics from southern Denmark and northern Germany: implications from acetic acid etching experiments |
| title_fullStr | Release of lead from Renaissance lead-glazed ceramics from southern Denmark and northern Germany: implications from acetic acid etching experiments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Release of lead from Renaissance lead-glazed ceramics from southern Denmark and northern Germany: implications from acetic acid etching experiments |
| title_short | Release of lead from Renaissance lead-glazed ceramics from southern Denmark and northern Germany: implications from acetic acid etching experiments |
| title_sort | release of lead from renaissance lead glazed ceramics from southern denmark and northern germany implications from acetic acid etching experiments |
| topic | Renaissance Ceramics Glazing Lead Etching Northern Europe |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-022-00703-8 |
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