The origin of lead artifacts from Novae: applications of Pb isotopes in identifying the provenance of Roman artifacts from N. Bulgaria
Abstract This study identifies the lead ores used to produce lead artifacts used by the Romans between the first and eighth centuries AD during the construction of the fort and then the town of Novae (N. Bulgaria). For this purpose, lead samples were taken from pipes, joints of columns and pedestals...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2024-02-01
|
| Series: | Heritage Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-024-01151-2 |
| _version_ | 1797273584294428672 |
|---|---|
| author | Janusz Recław Paula Sierpień Jakub Karasiński George Kamenov Wayne Powell Beata Marciniak-Maliszewska Maciej Kałaska |
| author_facet | Janusz Recław Paula Sierpień Jakub Karasiński George Kamenov Wayne Powell Beata Marciniak-Maliszewska Maciej Kałaska |
| author_sort | Janusz Recław |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study identifies the lead ores used to produce lead artifacts used by the Romans between the first and eighth centuries AD during the construction of the fort and then the town of Novae (N. Bulgaria). For this purpose, lead samples were taken from pipes, joints of columns and pedestals, and from a lead ingot. The samples were analyzed for lead isotopes and the results were compared to literature data for Roman mines from what is now Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Germany, and Romania. Pb isotope results indicate that during the earlier stages of Novae's establishment, lead was most likely supplied from several different mines located in the Balkan area. Several samples also show Pb isotopes indicating mixing of lead from mines in the Balkan area. Then in the fourth—fifth century AD lead began to be supplied mainly from mines located in NW Bulgaria, with one sample possibly from deposits in German. This is evidenced by the matching of the results obtained for the ores to the data for deposits from these regions. Two possibly recycled samples were also identified. Deposits from other European regions did not match samples from Novae, indicating that majority of the lead was sourced from mines in the Balkan region. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:46:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3d236a69baf447c9bb2d527fd2127d35 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-7445 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:46:30Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heritage Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-3d236a69baf447c9bb2d527fd2127d352024-03-05T19:55:43ZengSpringerOpenHeritage Science2050-74452024-02-0112111810.1186/s40494-024-01151-2The origin of lead artifacts from Novae: applications of Pb isotopes in identifying the provenance of Roman artifacts from N. BulgariaJanusz Recław0Paula Sierpień1Jakub Karasiński2George Kamenov3Wayne Powell4Beata Marciniak-Maliszewska5Maciej Kałaska6Antiquity of Southeastern Europe Research Centre, University of WarsawInstitute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of SciencesFaculty of Chemistry, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of WarsawDepartment of Geological Sciences, University of FloridaDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Brooklyn College, CUNYFaculty of Geology, University of WarsawFaculty of Geology, University of WarsawAbstract This study identifies the lead ores used to produce lead artifacts used by the Romans between the first and eighth centuries AD during the construction of the fort and then the town of Novae (N. Bulgaria). For this purpose, lead samples were taken from pipes, joints of columns and pedestals, and from a lead ingot. The samples were analyzed for lead isotopes and the results were compared to literature data for Roman mines from what is now Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Germany, and Romania. Pb isotope results indicate that during the earlier stages of Novae's establishment, lead was most likely supplied from several different mines located in the Balkan area. Several samples also show Pb isotopes indicating mixing of lead from mines in the Balkan area. Then in the fourth—fifth century AD lead began to be supplied mainly from mines located in NW Bulgaria, with one sample possibly from deposits in German. This is evidenced by the matching of the results obtained for the ores to the data for deposits from these regions. Two possibly recycled samples were also identified. Deposits from other European regions did not match samples from Novae, indicating that majority of the lead was sourced from mines in the Balkan region.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-024-01151-2Lead isotopesNovaeLead originLead provenanceRoman artifactArtifacts origin |
| spellingShingle | Janusz Recław Paula Sierpień Jakub Karasiński George Kamenov Wayne Powell Beata Marciniak-Maliszewska Maciej Kałaska The origin of lead artifacts from Novae: applications of Pb isotopes in identifying the provenance of Roman artifacts from N. Bulgaria Heritage Science Lead isotopes Novae Lead origin Lead provenance Roman artifact Artifacts origin |
| title | The origin of lead artifacts from Novae: applications of Pb isotopes in identifying the provenance of Roman artifacts from N. Bulgaria |
| title_full | The origin of lead artifacts from Novae: applications of Pb isotopes in identifying the provenance of Roman artifacts from N. Bulgaria |
| title_fullStr | The origin of lead artifacts from Novae: applications of Pb isotopes in identifying the provenance of Roman artifacts from N. Bulgaria |
| title_full_unstemmed | The origin of lead artifacts from Novae: applications of Pb isotopes in identifying the provenance of Roman artifacts from N. Bulgaria |
| title_short | The origin of lead artifacts from Novae: applications of Pb isotopes in identifying the provenance of Roman artifacts from N. Bulgaria |
| title_sort | origin of lead artifacts from novae applications of pb isotopes in identifying the provenance of roman artifacts from n bulgaria |
| topic | Lead isotopes Novae Lead origin Lead provenance Roman artifact Artifacts origin |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-024-01151-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT januszrecław theoriginofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT paulasierpien theoriginofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT jakubkarasinski theoriginofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT georgekamenov theoriginofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT waynepowell theoriginofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT beatamarciniakmaliszewska theoriginofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT maciejkałaska theoriginofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT januszrecław originofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT paulasierpien originofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT jakubkarasinski originofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT georgekamenov originofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT waynepowell originofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT beatamarciniakmaliszewska originofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria AT maciejkałaska originofleadartifactsfromnovaeapplicationsofpbisotopesinidentifyingtheprovenanceofromanartifactsfromnbulgaria |