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Decoration composition of Iberian Iron Age ivory artifacts identified by no-destructive chemical analyses

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Abstract

In this work, five unique Iberian Iron Age handles have been studied. The use of portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) and Fourier transform near–infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy no-destructive techniques has allowed us to identify two raw materials (amber and tin) used to decorate the ivory handles. Due to the finesse of their inlaid decoration and the value and exoticism of the material employed for their manufacture, these ivory objects are really exceptional Iberian archaeology findings. Interestingly, it has been possible to determine that tin was used as an adherent material to fix the inlaid small pieces of amber in the handles. The obtained results allow the better understanding of the manufacturing processes, areas of production, and accessibility to exotic materials of valuable objects during the Iberian period.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the collaboration of the staff from the museums where the pieces are deposited (Museu Arqueològic Municipal Camil Visedo de Alcoi, Museo de Arte Ibérico El Cigarralejo de Mula, Museo Arqueológico Municipal Jerónimo Molina de Jumilla y Museu Arqueològic de Catalunya-Barcelona) and all the people that have help us through this paper, especially José Pérez Ballester, director of the excavations of Solana del Castell, for his collaboration and Carmen García Rayo for the English assistance.

Funding

Gianni Gallello acknowledges the financial support of the European Commission (project H2020-MSCA-IF-2015-704709-MATRIX). Agustin Pastor acknowledges the financial support of Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO project II/2014/077) and Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad-Feder (project CTQ 2014-52841-P and project CTQ 2012-38635). Consuelo Mata acknowledges the financial support of Generalitat Valenciana (ACOMP2015/256) and Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (HAR2013-45770-P).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Prehistory, Archaeology and Ancient History (Grup de Recerca en Arqueologia del Mediterrani -GRAM GIUV2015-222-), Universitat de València, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 28, 46020, Valencia, Spain

    Marta Blasco-Martín, Eva Collado-Mataix & Consuelo Mata-Parreño

  2. Department of Archaeology, University of York, King’s Manor, York, YO1 7EP, England, UK

    Gianni Gallello

  3. Department of History, Prehistory Area, (Grupo de Investigación Culturas Preromanas Peninsulares -CPP-), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain

    Lucía Soria-Combadiera

  4. Department of Analytical Chemistry (Soluciones e innovación en Química Analítica -SOLINQUIANA-), University of Valencia, 50 Dr. Moliner Street, Burjassot, 46100, Valencia, Spain

    Agustín Pastor

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  1. Marta Blasco-Martín
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  2. Gianni Gallello
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Correspondence to Consuelo Mata-Parreño.

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Blasco-Martín, M., Gallello, G., Soria-Combadiera, L. et al. Decoration composition of Iberian Iron Age ivory artifacts identified by no-destructive chemical analyses. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 11, 3561–3576 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-018-00775-3

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