Archaeological Analysis methods and applications used in

LCMA series 1-4

Name - U.S. Wickramasinghe; MSAR 2016
Subject: MAAR/MSAR 61024 / Field and Lab Methods in Archaeology
Regeneration of past is one of the key objectives of Archaeology. This regeneration
is done by analyzing the archaeological materials which were found/extracted with
an excavation or any other method. These remaining found with an excavation can
be either organic or inorganic materials. Human remains faunal remains are
considered to be inorganic materials whereas all the artifacts are considered as
inorganic materials. These artifacts can be one of stone tools, pottery, arts and any
other man made tool/equipment. With proper analysis on these remaining
archaeologists are able to find the dating of the remains, materials & technology
used by the people live in the past and the brief idea about the nature. This analysis
is often called a post-excavation analysis and predominantly it is a process of
scientific analysis. There are many techniques and methods are being used in the
post excavation analysis. The best method suit for the analysis is determined by on
what the analysis is going to be done and what is trying to find out from the
material.
This assignment is meant to analyze the methods and techniques used with the
recent analysis made by the Laboratory of Cultural Material Analysis (LCMA) of Post
Graduate Institute OF archaeology (PDIR) Sri Lanka. Further this will elaborate the
usage of these techniques in archaeology.
1. Visual Inspection
Visual inspection is the basis analysis that can be made on the artifacts. This
will help archaeologists to have basic understanding about the materials used
and tools and techniques used to form it from the materials. Also this would
be the basic analysis that can be made on artifact that are unable to take in a
lab for testing. Eg . Kodithuwakkuwa at Rathnapra Saman Dewalaya
(Thanthilage, et al., 2016), rock paintings, stone carvings, etc
2. Microscopic Inspection

Microscopic inspection is a analysis method that is used in archaeology to

meet many objectives. Form simple binocular microscopic analysis see the
surface cracks, microscopic analysis extends its capacity in identifying the
microfossils such as pollens and pytholiths. These micro details of the
archeological remains will aid the archaeologist to identify the tiny evidences
that elaborates the tools and technologies used in the past as well as the give
a comprehensive details of the past environment. These details would
elaborate the relationship between the man and nature and could be used to
fill the gaps in finding the reasons of rise and fall of the great civilizations.
The recent study done with the Kodithuwakkuwa at MahaSaman Devalya,
Rathnapura by LCMA a microscopic study has been carried out to find the
technique used in making the gun barrel of the said Kodithuwakkuwa as there
were no evidences that it has been casted (Thanthilage, et al., 2016). It has
been used an endoscopic microscope to study the inside of the gun barrel.
The

results

have

given

enough

evidences

in

such

that

the

said

Kodithuwakkuwa has been made by joining different metal type but not
casted. The research suggests further study of the metallography of the gin
to identify the material used to make it (Thanthilage, et al., 2016).
3. Analysis of Metallography
Metallurgical analysis is also and microscopic analysis method where it is
used to analyses the micro structures of the metals and metal related
remains such as slags. This analysis is requiring an extensive preparation of
the samples which uses some electrolyte for etching.
Once metals are cleaned, it is used microscopes to examine micro details of
the metals in order to reveal information regarding composition and
manufacturing techniques. For example, the artifact shape, cracks, and
places where pieces of metal were joined together can be identified.
Metallography examines the size and shape of the grains of materials for
traces of heating, working and alloying.
microscopes

such

as

Scanning

electron

It can be used extensive

microscopes

manufacturing techniques such as hammering, forging,

to

explore

and folding. Also,

other techniques are used to identify types of metals. For example, Atomic
absorption spectroscopy is used to identify alloys of gold, bronze and copper.

Two iron nails has been analyzed for its metallography and has discovered
that those two nails dated approximately 950 AD were made with two
different technologies. It has clearly evident that had used two different
temperatures for two samples and the hardening techniques were different
from each other. This suggests that the application of those two nails are
different from each other (Thanthilage, et al., 2016)
Metallographic analysis done on a sample take from an iron blade which is
suspected to be a plough shows that is has made of two different iron sheets
joined together to form the plough. The two different grain sizes were clearly
visible on the microscopic vies suggesting that they are two different iron
sheets (Thanthilage, et al., 2016). And also it has shown no evidence for
carburization indicating that technology was not used by this era Kandyan
Era
The study has made on an iron chisel obtained from Polpithigama Megalithic
burial site dated 4th century BC. The metallographical study on it had given a
strong evidence that the people lived in Sri Lanka were used carbon steel
technology as early as 400 BC (Thanthilage, et al., 2016).
4. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FTIR
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is a technique which is used to
obtain an infrared spectrum of absorption or emission of a solid, liquid or gas.
FTIR analysis helps to understand materials and is being vastly used in
pharmaceutical and polymer industry to analyses the quality of the product.
However, the applications of the FTIR is in long range and archaeological
analysis is one of such application.
This technique is very much popular in archaeological conservation projects
for the reason that this technique can be applied to many archaeological
applications such as to analyze and determine the composition of materials
as fired clays, bone and tooth enamel, wood ash, fibers and dyes, plasters,
and resins.
Also this technique is useful where there is only a small amount of sample is
available to test (milligrams or micrograms) and the samples can be organic
or inorganic.
Latest FTIR analyzers are made in manner that they can be used to test the
samples which are at site and not a tiny ham is made to the sample as the
analysis is made with no contact with the unit.

For items which can have at least a tiny sample a KBr method can be used.
Since KBr shows neutral reaction with the FTIR, it can be easily missed with
the sample to make a pallet to do the analysis.
A study made to cause of the failure of a project done to conserve the Ola
Leaf manuscripts has used FTIR to analyse the Dummala Oil used in
conservation process. With the results it has evident that the one sample of
Dummala oil has been adulterated with some other oil (Thanthiilage, et al.,
206).
A study carried out for rock art site at Kurullanga has used FTIR to analyse
the pigments used for the rock art. It has also suggested that the red pigment
used with the rock art is consist of iron oxide (Arjuna, et al., 2016)

Bibliography
Arjuna, T. et al., 2016. An accountof the recently discovered Rock Art Site at
Kurullanagala in Ella, Sri Lanka. Memories of the Post Graduate Institute of
Archaeology.
Thanthiilage, A., Vithanage, I. & Senanayake, J., 206. Findings of adulterations in
Dummala Oil used for te consservation of Ola- Leaf Manuscripts. Memories of the
Post Gradua Institute of Archaeology.
Thanthilage, A., Dissanayake, R. B., Vithanage, I. & Senanayake, J., 2016.
Mettallographic study of few Iron implents from defferent archaeological contexts in
Sri Lanka. Memories of the Post Gradua Institute of Archaeology.
Thanthilage, A., Vithanage, I. & Senanayake, J., 2016. A technological Study of
Ancient Sri Lankan Kodithuwakkuwa. Memories of the Post Graduate Institute of
Archaeology.