Archaeological Ambers From Northern Italy: An Ftir–drift Study of Provenance by Comparison With the Geological Amber Database*

Abstract

European geological ambers of five different localities and types, and Italian geological ambers from seven different deposits have been studied with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and diffuse‐reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT). Ambers from several localities have been characterized for the first time. The research aims to create a database of European ambers, containing both FTIR and DRIFT data. The FTIR spectra are easily comparable with the data commonly available in the literature, whereas DRIFT analyses are shown to be more useful to characterize the archaeological finds. The provenance of several archaeological ambers from northern and southern Italy, dating from the Middle Bronze Age to the Iron Age, is assessed on the basis of the developed database. Of the 35 analysed archaeological objects, all but five are composed of Baltic succinite amber.

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy - Useful Analytical Tool for Non-Destructive Analysis

“…During recent years, analysts used mostly FTIR, mass spectrometry and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the analytical study of geological or archaeological amber from different territories (Beck, 1972;1986;Boon et al, 1993;Lambert & Poinar, 2002;Shedrinski et al, 2004;Angelini & Bellintani, 2005;Guiliano et al, 2007;Pakutinskiene et al, 2007;Tonidandel et al, 2008;Teodor ED et al, 2009;Vîrgolici et al, 2010a). In 2005, Angelini and Bellintani reviewed the analytical techniques used for the differentiation of amber types, dedicating special attention to the most suitable methods for archaeological materials (non-destructive methods).…”

Analytical methods to differentiate Romanian amber and Baltic amber for archaeological applications

“…In 2004, Shedrinsky et al [8] presented a study based on pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to differentiate six specimens of amber beads arising from an archaeological site, and in 2005, Angelini & Bellintani [9] published an article about European geological ambers of five different localities and types, and included Italian geological ambers from seven different deposits that were studied with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and diffuse-reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT). A classification of eight samples of amber of different geological age (Miocene to Triassic) and geographical origin is proposed by Tonidandel et al [10] who employed direct mass spectrometric techniques, i.e.…”

The aid of Bayesian radiocarbon modeling in assessing the chronology of Middle Bronze Age Sicily at the site level. A case study

“…It is likely that central Mediterranean people were active in eastern shores, as some (admittedly scant) evidence would indicate (Alberti, 2008b;Jung, 2009). As for local goods liable to be exported, it is likely that commodities exploited during the preceding stage of the Bronze Age (i.e., Early Bronze Age) such as sulfur (Castagnino Berlinghieri, 2003;Castellana, 1998Castellana, , 2000, pumice (Sterba et al, 2009) and amber (Angelini and Bellintani, 2005), continued to be exploited in MBA. As a number of studies have stressed, it is also likely that the use and appreciation of foreign goods went hand in hand with the development of different kinds of local social trajectories (Alberti, 2012;D'Agata, 1997D'Agata, , 2000Smith, 1987;Van Wijngaarden, 2002;Vianello, 2005) to which the architectural development/transformation of settlements (or part thereof) (Alberti, 2012(Alberti, , 2014bDoonan, 2001;Lukesh, 1995, 2001;Militello, 2004;Tomasello, 2004), tomb typology (Tomasello, 1996), and the development of local metalworking (Albanese, 2006;Bietti Sestieri, 1997;D'Agata, 1986) were possibly linked.…”