Analytical investigation of five roman Pb-based scale weights (Qasr Ar-Rabbah, Jordan) : a case study
Part of : Mediterranean archaeology & archaeometry : international journal ; Vol.14, No.1, 2014, pages 181-190
Issue:
Pages:
181-190
Author:
Abstract:
The composition and corrosion behavior of five archaeological lead scale weights from Qasr Ar-Rabbah in Jordan is studied using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray micro-analysis (SEM–EDX). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to identify the mineralogical composition of the corrosion layers. It is found that the weights were relatively pure lead objects with the presence of minor elements that were associated with lead in its ores. The corrosion layers were basically composed of the stable corrosion product cerussite PbCO3, which however obscured the surface details and contained micro-cracks.
Subject:
Subject (LC):
Keywords:
Roman, Lead, Corrosion, Lead scale weight, SEM–EDX, XRD
References (1):
- Alhassan, S. J. (2005) Corrosion of lead and lead alloys. In ASM Handbook, Volume 13b:Corrosion: Materials, S.D. Cramer, B.S. Covino, Jr.(ed.), ASM International, Ohio.Al-Shiyab, A. M. (2002). la Jordanie et la Conquête Arabe: 'āb, al-balqā, al-'Urdunn. Ph.D.Thesis, Department de Histoire Ancienne et Archeologie, Universite de VersaillesSaint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.Al-Shiyab, A. M. (1993). Excavation at Al-Qasr and Ar-Rabba, unpublished excavationreport at Faculty of archaeology, Yarmouk University in Jordan.Bernard, M. Costa, V. and Joiret, S. (2009) Assessing indoor lead corrosion using RamanSpectroscopy during electrochemical reduction. e-Preservation Science, vol. 6, 101-106.Brooker, M. Sunder, S. Taylor, P. and Lopata, V. (1983) Infrared and Raman spectra andX-ray diffraction studies of solid lead (II) carbonates. Canadian Journal ofChemistry, vol. 61, No. 3, 494-502.Cagnat, R. (1898) Cours d’épigraphie latine, 3rd edition, Fontemoing, Paris.Caley, E. R. (1955) Coatings and incrustations on lead objects from the Agora and themethod used for their removal. Studies in Conservation, vol. 2, No. 2, 49-54.Carradice, I. A. and Campbell, S. A. (1994) The conservation of lead communion tokensby potentiostatic reduction. Studies in conservation, vol. 39, No. 2, 100-106.Cincotti, A. Massidda, L. and Sanna, U. (2003) Chemical and isotope characterization oflead finds at the Santa Barbara nuraghe (Bauladu, Sardinia). Journal of CulturalHeritage, vol. 4, No. 4, 263-268.Costa, V. and Urban, F. (2005) Lead and its alloys: metallurgy, deterioration andconservation. Reviews in Conservation, No. 6, 48-62.Craddock, P.T. (1995) Early Metal Mining and Production, Edinburgh University Press,Edinburgh.Cronyn, J. (1990) The elements of archaeological conservation, Routledge, London.Davis, M. Hunter, F. and Livingstone, A. (1995) The corrosion, conservation and analysisof a lead and cannel coal necklace from the early bronze age. Studies inConservation, vol. 40, No. 4, 257-264.Gale, N.H. and Stos-Gale, Z.A. (1981) Lead and silver in the ancient Aegean. ScientificAmerican, vol. 244, No. 6, 176-192.Hultsch, F. (1882) Griechische und Römische Metrologie, Weidmann, Berlin.Lang, M. and Crosby, M. (1964) The Athenian Agora, volume X: weights, measures and tokens,The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, New Jersey.MacLeod, I. and Wozniak, R. (1997) Corrosion and conservation of tin and pewter. In Metal95: Proceeding of the International Conference on Metals Conservation, I. MacLeod, L.Robbiola, and S. L. Pennec (eds.), James and James, London.Mattias, P Maura, G. and Rinaldi, G. (1984) The degradation of lead antiquities from Italy.Studies in Conservation, vol. 29, No. 2, 87-92.Meyer, H. and Moreno, A. (2004) A Greek metrological koine: A lead weight from thewestern Black Sea region in the Ashmolean. oxford Journal of Archaeology, vol. 23,No. 2, 209-216.Nriagu, J.O. (1983) lead and lead Poisoning in Antiquity, John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey.Nosek, E. (1985) The investigation and conservation of a lead paten from the eleventhcentury. Studies in Conservation, vol. 30, No. 1, 19-22.Pulsifer, W. H. (1888) Notes for a History of lead, University Press, New York.Retief, F. and Cilliers, L. (2006) Lead Poisoning in Ancient Rome. Acta TheologicaSupplementum 7, vol. 26, No. 2, 147-164.Rocca, E. Mirambet, F and Steinmetz, J. (2004) Study of ancient lead materials: A galloromansarcophagus—contribution of the electrolytic treatment to its restoration.Journal of Materials Science, vol. 39, No. 8, 2767-2774.Scott, D. (1996) A note on the metallographic preparation of ancient lead. Studies inConservation, vol. 41, No. 1, 60-62.Selwyn, L. (2004) Metals and corrosion: A handbook for the conservation professional, CanadianConservation Institute, Ottawa.Turgoose, S. (1985) The corrosion of lead and tin: before and after excavation’. In lead andtin: studies in conservation and technology, G. Miles and S. Pollard (eds), UnitedKingdom Institute for Conservation, London.Tylecote, R. (1962) Metallurgy in Archaeology, Edward Arnold Publishers Ltd., London.Waterhouse, S. D. (1998) Tomb Type I: Chamber tombs with loculi radiating from thechamber. In The Necropolis of Hesban: A typology of tombs, S. D. Waterhouse (ed.),Andrews University Press, Michigan.Woolley, D. E. (1984) A perspective of lead poisoning in antiquity and the present.Neurotoxicology, vol. 5, No. 3, 353-361.
