Material Evidence of Sediments Recovered from Ancient Amphorae Found at the Potaissa Roman Fortress
Methods for material investigation are powerful tools that allow specialists to elucidate important aspects regarding ancient artifacts such as the Roman amphorae deposits discovered at Potaissa Fortress in Turda, Romania. Archeological debate states that the deposit contained olive oil and wine amp...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Materials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/7/2628 |
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| author | Iulia Alexandra Farcas Thomas Dippong Ioan Petean Marioara Moldovan Miuta Rafila Filip Irina Ciotlaus Lucian Barbu Tudoran Gheorghe Borodi Gertrud Alexandra Paltinean Emanoil Pripon Claudiu Ioan Bunea |
| author_facet | Iulia Alexandra Farcas Thomas Dippong Ioan Petean Marioara Moldovan Miuta Rafila Filip Irina Ciotlaus Lucian Barbu Tudoran Gheorghe Borodi Gertrud Alexandra Paltinean Emanoil Pripon Claudiu Ioan Bunea |
| author_sort | Iulia Alexandra Farcas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Methods for material investigation are powerful tools that allow specialists to elucidate important aspects regarding ancient artifacts such as the Roman amphorae deposits discovered at Potaissa Fortress in Turda, Romania. Archeological debate states that the deposit contained olive oil and wine amphorae, but no material evidence has been presented until now. The current research is focused on the most representative large amphora fragments found in the Potaissa deposit, with a significant amount of sediment on their walls, to give archeologists the material proof to elucidate their debate. Sediment was collected from each fragment and subjected to complex analysis. XRD investigation combined with cross-polarized light microscopy demonstrated mineral particles such as quartz, clay (muscovite and traces of biotite), and calcite. Quartz and calcite particles have a rounded shape and diameters in a range of 20–200 µm, and clay particles have a lamellar shape and dimensions from 1 to 20 µm, a fact confirmed by SEM microscopy. Sample 2 presented a large amount of amorphous phase followed by Samples 1 and 3, with a low amount of organic phase. FTIR investigation confirms organic phase presence owing to strong absorption bands regarding C-H, C=O, and O-H chemical bonds related to aliphatic compounds in Sample 2, and to some decayed wine residue in Samples 1 and 3. EDS elemental analysis was used for organic particle identification in the amphora sediments and to obtain a correlation with their microstructure. GC–MS investigation showed volatile compounds related to wine residue for Samples 1 and 3 and decomposed fats for Sample 2. Tartaric and malic acid were identified by HPLC in Samples 1 and 3, which are wine biomarkers. The correlation of all experimental results concludes with no doubt that Amphora 2 contained olive oil and Amphorae 1 and 3 contained wine in ancient times. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:32:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-baeec88ea29749a3b716bfc565e20da5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:32:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-baeec88ea29749a3b716bfc565e20da52023-11-17T17:02:46ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442023-03-01167262810.3390/ma16072628Material Evidence of Sediments Recovered from Ancient Amphorae Found at the Potaissa Roman FortressIulia Alexandra Farcas0Thomas Dippong1Ioan Petean2Marioara Moldovan3Miuta Rafila Filip4Irina Ciotlaus5Lucian Barbu Tudoran6Gheorghe Borodi7Gertrud Alexandra Paltinean8Emanoil Pripon9Claudiu Ioan Bunea10Faculty of Horticulture and Rural Business Development, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5Manastur Str., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaFaculty of Science, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 76 Victoriei Street, 430122 Baia Mare, RomaniaFaculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Babes-Bolyai University, 11 Arany Janos Street, 400028 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Polymer Composites, Institute of Chemistry “Raluca Ripan”, Babes-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Polymer Composites, Institute of Chemistry “Raluca Ripan”, Babes-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Organic Compounds and Natural Products, Institute of Chemistry “Raluca Ripan”, Babes-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaFaculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University, 44 Gheorghe Bilaşcu Street, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaNational Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 65-103 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Polymer Composites, Institute of Chemistry “Raluca Ripan”, Babes-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaZalau County Museum of History and Art, 9 Unirii Str., 450042 Zalau, RomaniaFaculty of Horticulture and Rural Business Development, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5Manastur Str., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaMethods for material investigation are powerful tools that allow specialists to elucidate important aspects regarding ancient artifacts such as the Roman amphorae deposits discovered at Potaissa Fortress in Turda, Romania. Archeological debate states that the deposit contained olive oil and wine amphorae, but no material evidence has been presented until now. The current research is focused on the most representative large amphora fragments found in the Potaissa deposit, with a significant amount of sediment on their walls, to give archeologists the material proof to elucidate their debate. Sediment was collected from each fragment and subjected to complex analysis. XRD investigation combined with cross-polarized light microscopy demonstrated mineral particles such as quartz, clay (muscovite and traces of biotite), and calcite. Quartz and calcite particles have a rounded shape and diameters in a range of 20–200 µm, and clay particles have a lamellar shape and dimensions from 1 to 20 µm, a fact confirmed by SEM microscopy. Sample 2 presented a large amount of amorphous phase followed by Samples 1 and 3, with a low amount of organic phase. FTIR investigation confirms organic phase presence owing to strong absorption bands regarding C-H, C=O, and O-H chemical bonds related to aliphatic compounds in Sample 2, and to some decayed wine residue in Samples 1 and 3. EDS elemental analysis was used for organic particle identification in the amphora sediments and to obtain a correlation with their microstructure. GC–MS investigation showed volatile compounds related to wine residue for Samples 1 and 3 and decomposed fats for Sample 2. Tartaric and malic acid were identified by HPLC in Samples 1 and 3, which are wine biomarkers. The correlation of all experimental results concludes with no doubt that Amphora 2 contained olive oil and Amphorae 1 and 3 contained wine in ancient times.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/7/2628ancient sedimentsarchaeometry material evidenceelemental analysis |
| spellingShingle | Iulia Alexandra Farcas Thomas Dippong Ioan Petean Marioara Moldovan Miuta Rafila Filip Irina Ciotlaus Lucian Barbu Tudoran Gheorghe Borodi Gertrud Alexandra Paltinean Emanoil Pripon Claudiu Ioan Bunea Material Evidence of Sediments Recovered from Ancient Amphorae Found at the Potaissa Roman Fortress Materials ancient sediments archaeometry material evidence elemental analysis |
| title | Material Evidence of Sediments Recovered from Ancient Amphorae Found at the Potaissa Roman Fortress |
| title_full | Material Evidence of Sediments Recovered from Ancient Amphorae Found at the Potaissa Roman Fortress |
| title_fullStr | Material Evidence of Sediments Recovered from Ancient Amphorae Found at the Potaissa Roman Fortress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Material Evidence of Sediments Recovered from Ancient Amphorae Found at the Potaissa Roman Fortress |
| title_short | Material Evidence of Sediments Recovered from Ancient Amphorae Found at the Potaissa Roman Fortress |
| title_sort | material evidence of sediments recovered from ancient amphorae found at the potaissa roman fortress |
| topic | ancient sediments archaeometry material evidence elemental analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/7/2628 |
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