Activity 4.3 - Study of the southern italy bronze metallurgy by xrf and txrf
(G. Paternoster, R.Rinzivillo) in collaboration with: C.Albore-Livadie (Centre Jean Berard
Napoli - Ist.Univ. “Suor O. Benincasa” Napoli); Sovrintendenza Archeologica di Napoli e
Caserta (G.Vecchio); Sovrintendenza Archeologica di Salerno.
The study of the metallurgy, already initiated few years ago, has been conducted
with two different apparatus for X-ray Fluorescence: a portable apparatus, used
for not destructive investigations both in situ and in the laboratory; and a system
for XRF analysis in total reflection at high sensibility for the determination of the
trace elements. During the preceding years a group of 22 axes of campanian
origin has been studied; they, as stated in a published article, seem all to have
been realised with minerals of the same origin.
The analysis of the composition of the bronzes, and particularly of the axes, is
completed with a typological investigation, based on their form. Studying about
90 axes by statistical methods, we determine the characterising factors the
various chronological groups; we can so define better the chronology and to
determine the group belonging of the objects of unknown context. This research
has been object of a publication in collaboration with the group of Computer
Science of the University of Salerno.
The Archaeological Superintendence of Naples and Caserta has recently
appointed a working group of interdisciplinary research for the study of the
archaeological sites in the Nola area; in that context we analysed the bronze finds
discovered.
Scope of the research was the elemental analysis of the samples for the
determination of the alloy composition and the comparison with the data obtained
in the our previous studies.
Program for 2005
The research program will continue with the analysis of some axes of the Ancient
Bronze, discovered in the Spinazzola archaeological site and guarded in the
Museum of Paestum (SA). The study will be conducted in situ with a XRF
portable apparatus.