Rehydroxylation (RHX) dating of archaeological pottery

Determining the absolute chronology of ceramic artifacts has significant implications for archeological and historical research. Wilson, Hall et al. recently suggested a new technique for direct absolute dating of archeological ceramics based on a moisture‐induced chemical reaction, called rehydroxylation (RHX) dating. RHX dating proceeds by measuring the mass of chemically combined water in the ceramics in the form of OH hydroxyls, and the mass gain rate at the Effective Lifetime Temperature (ELT) that the ceramics experienced over its lifetime. To date, ELT determinations have been based on estimates of the ceramic's lifetime temperature history; taking into account weather and climate data and the depth at which the artifact was found. The uncertainty in determining the ELT can be a major component of the overall dating uncertainty. Here, we propose an alternative method which relies minimally on weather and climate data, and provides more precise determinations of the ELT and the ceramic age. The proposed method (SAS: Same Age Samples) involves a minimum of four measurements of the RHX mass gain rate constant for two ceramic samples of the same age at two temperatures. We show via simulations that the proposed SAS method can determine the ELT with a precision of 0.2 K which is comparable to the best ELT determination based on lifetime temperature history, and also comparable to available microbalance temperature resolutions of around 0.1 K. The corresponding percent age error is then 1.4%, or 43 yr for a 3000‐yr‐old ceramic. The proposed SAS method should be tested with ceramic samples of different ages, whose ELT are well‐known.

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“…The activation energy E b of sample b could be determined from the measurements of the RHX rate constants at two temperatures T 1 and T 2 via:

{normalα}_{normalb} false(T_{1} false) / {normalα}_{normalb} false(T_{2} false) = exp false(- E_{b} [1 / T_{1} - 1 / T_{2}] false/ 4 R false),

E_{normalb} = 4 R ln false(α_{b} (T_{1}) false/ α_{b} (T_{2}) false) / false(1 false/ T_{2} - 1 false/ T_{1} false)

…”

Section: Determination Of the Activation Energymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All σ values in this report refer to standard deviations (~68% confidence intervals) . The Aquadyne DVS Gravimetric Water Sorption Analyzer has been successfully used to produce published RHX dates . It comprises a double microbalance .…”

Section: Estimating Elt and Age Uncertaintiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

RHX Dating of Archeological Ceramics Via a New Method to Determine Effective Lifetime Temperature

2014

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“…By extrapolating the data obtained from the second stage of the RHX method, we can calculate the estimated age of a ceramic artefact. This method was proposed as self-calibrating without any standardisation and, thus, neglects the influence of firing temperature or mineralogical composition as demonstrated in Wilson et al [23]. The futher testing of this method on real samples showed the need for further investigation, especially in connection with the mineralogical composition and storage conditions [24][25][26][27][28][29][30].…”

Section: Rehydroxylation (Rhx) Dating Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The RHX method has been presented [22][23] as a suitable mathematical model describing the rehydroxylation process which can be used to date ceramic artefacts. This method relies on the ability of the ceramic body containing unstable non-crystalline residues of clay minerals to rebind water in a two-step process of rehydration (1 st stage) and rehydroxylation (2 nd stage).…”

Section: Rehydroxylation (Rhx) Dating Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Composition, Microstructure and RHX Dating of Romanesque Relief Ceramic Tiles

Kloužková¹

2017

Ceramics - Silikaty

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“…The study offered a great opportunity to apply the pIRIR [10] approach to fired feldspar using coarse grain and polymineral fine grain techniques. In addition, a mass-gain dating method based on the slow rehydroxylation process of clay fired in the past -the RHX dating method [11] for ceramics will be tested. Compositional analysis will be used on a set of bricks of the medieval manufacture to determine where they might have been manufactured.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%