Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Manufacturing Procedures of Bone Artefacts from the Chalcolithic Settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Portugal)
Vibrational spectroscopy was applied to study cylindrical engraved bone boxes from the Chalcolithic settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (VNSP, Azambuja, Portugal) which has the largest and richest artefact assemblage of Copper Age Western Iberia. The objectives were to reconstitute manufacturing te...
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MDPI AG
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8280 |
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| author | David Gonçalves Joana Rosa Ana L. Brandão Andrea Martins César Neves Mariana Diniz José M. Arnaud Maria Paula M. Marques Luís A. E. Batista de Carvalho |
| author_facet | David Gonçalves Joana Rosa Ana L. Brandão Andrea Martins César Neves Mariana Diniz José M. Arnaud Maria Paula M. Marques Luís A. E. Batista de Carvalho |
| author_sort | David Gonçalves |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Vibrational spectroscopy was applied to study cylindrical engraved bone boxes from the Chalcolithic settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (VNSP, Azambuja, Portugal) which has the largest and richest artefact assemblage of Copper Age Western Iberia. The objectives were to reconstitute manufacturing techniques, determine the role of pyrotechnology in the production of cylindrical engraved bone boxes and assess oxygen conditions during burning. Four fragments of cylindrical engraved bone “boxes” from VNSP were used in this research. Anaerobic experimental burn conditions were recreated by using a home-made steel airtight chamber under vacuum. Human bone fragments were burnt at 400–1000 °C for 120–211 min. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses were performed on bone powder samples. The resulting spectra and chemometric indices were used as a reference to establish comparisons with the archaeological artefacts. None of these presented spectral features compatible with anaerobic burning. Therefore, aerobic burns were used to achieve the whitish look and were most probably used to attain the darker shade displayed by the artefacts. Artefact manufacturing appears to have relied on bone cutting, bone engraving and maybe polishing, followed by heat treatment. The population from VNSP appears to have been highly specialized in the use of fire to work different raw materials. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:21:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de88a39519524694ba83370ffae11a80 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:21:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-de88a39519524694ba83370ffae11a802023-11-18T18:10:52ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-07-011314828010.3390/app13148280Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Manufacturing Procedures of Bone Artefacts from the Chalcolithic Settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Portugal)David Gonçalves0Joana Rosa1Ana L. Brandão2Andrea Martins3César Neves4Mariana Diniz5José M. Arnaud6Maria Paula M. Marques7Luís A. E. Batista de Carvalho8Archaeosciences Laboratory, Directorate General Cultural Heritage (LARC/CIBIO/InBIO), 1349-021 Lisbon, PortugalCenter for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, PortugalMolecular Physical-Chemistry R&D Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, PortugalUNIARQ Centre for Archaeology, School of Arts and Humanities, University of Lisbon, Alameda da Universidade, 1600-214 Lisboa, PortugalFCT/Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, 1249-074 Lisboa, PortugalUNIARQ Centre for Archaeology, School of Arts and Humanities, University of Lisbon, Alameda da Universidade, 1600-214 Lisboa, PortugalAAP/Association of Portuguese Archaeologists, Largo do Carmo, 1200-092 Lisboa, PortugalMolecular Physical-Chemistry R&D Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, PortugalMolecular Physical-Chemistry R&D Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, PortugalVibrational spectroscopy was applied to study cylindrical engraved bone boxes from the Chalcolithic settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (VNSP, Azambuja, Portugal) which has the largest and richest artefact assemblage of Copper Age Western Iberia. The objectives were to reconstitute manufacturing techniques, determine the role of pyrotechnology in the production of cylindrical engraved bone boxes and assess oxygen conditions during burning. Four fragments of cylindrical engraved bone “boxes” from VNSP were used in this research. Anaerobic experimental burn conditions were recreated by using a home-made steel airtight chamber under vacuum. Human bone fragments were burnt at 400–1000 °C for 120–211 min. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses were performed on bone powder samples. The resulting spectra and chemometric indices were used as a reference to establish comparisons with the archaeological artefacts. None of these presented spectral features compatible with anaerobic burning. Therefore, aerobic burns were used to achieve the whitish look and were most probably used to attain the darker shade displayed by the artefacts. Artefact manufacturing appears to have relied on bone cutting, bone engraving and maybe polishing, followed by heat treatment. The population from VNSP appears to have been highly specialized in the use of fire to work different raw materials.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8280bioarchaeologyvibrational spectroscopychalcolithicbone industry |
| spellingShingle | David Gonçalves Joana Rosa Ana L. Brandão Andrea Martins César Neves Mariana Diniz José M. Arnaud Maria Paula M. Marques Luís A. E. Batista de Carvalho Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Manufacturing Procedures of Bone Artefacts from the Chalcolithic Settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Portugal) Applied Sciences bioarchaeology vibrational spectroscopy chalcolithic bone industry |
| title | Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Manufacturing Procedures of Bone Artefacts from the Chalcolithic Settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Portugal) |
| title_full | Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Manufacturing Procedures of Bone Artefacts from the Chalcolithic Settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Portugal) |
| title_fullStr | Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Manufacturing Procedures of Bone Artefacts from the Chalcolithic Settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Portugal) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Manufacturing Procedures of Bone Artefacts from the Chalcolithic Settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Portugal) |
| title_short | Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Manufacturing Procedures of Bone Artefacts from the Chalcolithic Settlement of Vila Nova de São Pedro (Portugal) |
| title_sort | infrared spectroscopy to assess manufacturing procedures of bone artefacts from the chalcolithic settlement of vila nova de sao pedro portugal |
| topic | bioarchaeology vibrational spectroscopy chalcolithic bone industry |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8280 |
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