A vertical section of Upper Paleozoic sandstones from southern Transdanubia (Mecsek-Villány area, Tisza mega-unit, Hungary) has been analyzed for major and trace elements, including rare earth elements (REEs). In addition, the clay mineralogy of the sandstone samples and the petrography and geochemistry of gneiss and granitoid clasts extracted from the associated conglomerates have been determined. Geochemistry of the sandstone samples analyzed in this study shows that these rocks were predominantly derived from a felsic continental source; nevertheless, compositions vary systematically up-section. The Pennsylvanian (Upper Carboniferous) Téseny Formation has higher SiO 2 and lower Na 2 O, CaO, Sr, high field strength element (HFSE), and ΣREE contents relative to the Permian strata. Its high K 2 O and Rb contents together with the presence of abundant illite-sericite suggest a potassium metasomatism in this formation. Clay mineralogy and large ion lithophile element (LILE) contents of the Lower Permian Korpád Formation vary spatially and are interpreted as local variations in composition of the source region and postdepositional conditions. Zr and Hf abundances and REE patterns, however, show that this formation was derived from mature upper continental crust. The Upper Permian Cserdi † E-mail: raucsikvarga@freemail.hu. ‡ E-mail: gyorgy.szakmany@geology.elte.hu. § E-mail: raucsik@almos.vein.hu. # E-mail: mathezoltan@mecsekerc.hu. 2 Varga et al.Formation has higher TiO 2 , Th, U, Y, Cr, and heavy (H) REE contents, and higher Cr/Th and Cr/Zr ratios relative to the underlying formations. These trends can be explained by a sedimentary system dominated by highly weathered detritus derived from combined recycled-orogen, basement-uplift, and volcanic-arc provenance in the Téseny Formation, with an increased proportion of less weathered detritus derived from combined volcanic and basement-uplift provenances in the Permian formations. Characteristics of the Cserdi unit may reflect relatively proximal derivation from a felsic volcanic source.

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Although gilt silver threads were widely used for decorating historical textiles, their manufacturing techniques have been elusive for centuries. Contemporary written sources give only limited, sometimes ambiguous information, and detailed cross-sectional study of the microscale soft noble metal objects has been hindered by sample preparation. In this work, to give a thorough characterization of historical gilt silver threads, nano- and microscale textural, chemical, and structural data on cross sections, prepared by focused ion beam milling, were collected, using various electron-optical methods (high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wavelength-dispersive electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) combined with energy-dispersive electron probe microanalysis (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with EDX, and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The thickness of the gold coating varied between 70-400 nm. Data reveal nano- and microscale metallurgy-related, gilding-related and corrosion-related inhomogeneities in the silver base. These inhomogeneities account for the limitations of surface analysis when tracking gilding methods of historical metal threads, and explain why chemical information has to be connected to 3D texture on submicrometre scale. The geometry and chemical composition (lack of mercury, copper) of the gold/silver interface prove that the ancient gilding technology was diffusion bonding. The observed differences in the copper content of the silver base of the different thread types suggest intentional technological choice. Among the examined textiles of different ages (13th-17th centuries) and provenances narrow technological variation has been found.

Two distinct Permian volcanic epochs were revealed in the Pannonian Basin (eastern Central Europe) by U-Pb zircon geochronology: an older one (~ 281 Ma, Cisuralian) in the ALCAPA Mega-unit (Central Transdanubia, Hungary) and a younger volcanic episode (~ 267-260 Ma, Guadalupian) in the Tisza Mega-unit (Southern Transdanubia and the eastern Pannonian Basin, Hungary). The former is represented by dacitic subvolcanic rocks (dykes) and lavas, while the latter is dominantly by crystal-rich rhyolitic-rhyodacitic/dacitic ignimbrites and subordinate rhyodacitic/dacitic lavas. Whole-rock (major and trace element) geochemical data and zircon U-Pb ages suggest close relationship between the samples of Central Transdanubia and volcanic rocks of the Northern Veporic Unit (Western Carpathians, Slovakia), both being part of the ALCAPA Mega-unit. Such correlation was also revealed between the Permian felsic volcanic rocks of the Apuseni Mts (Romania) and the observed samples of Southern Transdanubia and the eastern Pannonian Basin that are parts of the Tisza Mega-unit. The older volcanic rocks (~ 281-265 Ma) could be linked to post-orogenic tectonic movements, however, the youngest samples (~ 260 Ma, eastern Pannonian Basin, Tisza Mega-unit) could be formed in the extensional setting succeeding the post-collisional environment. On the whole, the observed Permian magmatic rocks show significant similarity with those of the Western Carpathians.