Archaeometry at OSU’s Radiation Center |
Studies involving artifact provenance (or geographic source) are the most common application of trace-element studies in archaeology. |
The Provenance Principle:
Every raw material source has a unique geochemical signature that allows us to identify artifacts made from that source based on their elemental composition.
First, however, we must identify the geochemical “signature” or “fingerprint” of a source from its unique combination of trace elements.
|
Success in applying the Provenance Principle depends on:
1. Geographic distribution of raw material: point source or regional?
2. Character of raw material source: homogeneous or heterogeneous?
3. Scale of variability in source: discrete or clinal?
Two very different materials - obsidian and ceramics - illustrate the challenges.
|