This event will be taking place on Tuesday 09 November - Wednesday 10 November 2021.
Session One
13:00 – 13:05 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 5 mins
Session One
Session One
13:05 – 13:35 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 30 mins
Session One
Ancient southern Africa, metallurgy began with the processing and use of iron and copper early in the first millennium CE. Current evidence suggests that gold, tin and the alloys bronze and brass only appeared after the incorporation of the region into the Indian Ocean exchange system. Before then copper was melted in broken pottery, repurposed as receptacles in metallurgy. The appearance of gold, tin and bronze was accompanied by a use of custom-made crucibles. Archaeological work unearthed an assemblage of reused pottery and crucibles used in gold, copper, bronze and brass working. This provided an opportunity to study their structural and chemical characteristics using microscopic and geochemical techniques. The results showed that crucibles, reused pottery and domestic pottery were made of local clays with genetic relationships to local geologies. Consequently, the conclusion to this paper is that if the idea to make crucibles was from the Indian Ocean, then local people had agency and domesticated ideas from elsewhere in innovative ways. The continued use of pottery indicates cross craft overlaps in container use in technical and everyday activities. This makes materials analysis a profitable lens for engaging with local responses to incoming ideas in contexts of early forms of globalisation.Session One
13:35 – 13:50 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session One
Session One
13:50 – 14:05 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session One
Session One
14:05 – 14:10 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 5 mins
Session One
Session One
14:10 – 14:25 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session One
Session One
14:25 – 14:28 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 3 mins
Session One
Session One
14:28 – 14:31 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 3 mins
Session One
Session One
14:31 – 14:34 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 3 mins
Session One
Session One
14:34 – 14:50 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 16 mins
Session One
Session Two
14:50 – 15:20 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 30 mins
Session Two
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota
Session Two
15:20 – 15:35 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session Two
Session Two
15:35 – 15:50 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session Two
Session Two
15:50 – 15:55 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 5 mins
Session Two
Session Two
15:55 – 16:10 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session Two
Session Two
16:10 – 16:13 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 3 mins
Session Two
Session Two
16:13 – 16:16 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 3 mins
Session Two
Session Two
16:16 – 16:49 GMT, 9 November 2021 ‐ 33 mins
Session Two
Session Three
13:00 – 13:05 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 5 mins
Session Three
Session Three
13:05 – 13:35 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 30 mins
Session Three
Large volcanic eruptions disperse volcanic ash thousands of kilometres from the vent. The deposits from these eruptions, termed tephra, form marker layers in sedimentary sequences and ice records. Identifying the tephra layers from particular eruptions allows the sequences that contain them to be correlated, providing a relative chronology. Furthermore, many of the eruptions are dated so identifying the tephra layer can often also provide absolute chronology.
These tephra layers are comprised of volcanic glass (typically >85%) and some crystals. The composition of the volcanic glass varies between volcanoes and different eruption deposits, and so the major, minor and trace element composition serves as fingerprint for a particular eruption (e.g., Lowe 2011). Chemically characterising these tephra layers allows us to correlate sites, which is particularly useful for synchronising and dating palaeoenvironmental and archaeological records (e.g., Lowe et al., 2012). Furthermore, the robust identification of the ash away from the volcanic source provides insight into the magnitude and dynamics of the eruption and helps us to build better records of past volcanism, which is critical for hazard assessments (e.g., Albert et al., 2019).
Accurate and precise glass compositions are required for tephrochronology, and these can be determined using an electron microprobe (EMP) and laser-alation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). However, glass is easily damaged by an electron beam and to minimise compositional changes it must be analysed using low beam currents and a defocused beam (e.g., Autefage & Couderc, 1980). The major element EMP data are used to normalise the LA-ICPMS data and any problems with accuracy are then transferred into the trace element data. There are a lot of published data that are not accurate, which means that samples need to be reanalysed to confirm correlation. The tephrochronological community is now strongly recommending that reference materials, such as the MPI-DING glasses (Jochum et al., 2006), are analysed during all EMP and LA-ICPMS runs and these secondary standard analyses and are included with the data in publications (Kuehn et al., 2011). This allows for any discrepancies in accuracy to be identified. The issues with accuracy that have been highlighted by the tephrochronological community are likely to be pervasive in published geochemical datasets, which has consequences for large databases and big data initiatives.
Associate Professor, Head of Tephrochronology Group, School of Archaeology, University of Oxford
Session Three
13:35 – 13:50 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session Three
Session Three
13:50 – 14:05 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session Three
Session Three
14:05 – 14:10 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 5 mins
Session Three
Session Three
14:10 – 14:25 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session Three
Session Three
14:25 – 14:28 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 3 mins
Session Three
Session Three
14:28 – 14:31 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 3 mins
Session Three
Session Three
14:31 – 14:34 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 3 mins
Session Three
Session Three
14:34 – 14:50 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 16 mins
Session Three
Session Four
14:50 – 15:20 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 30 mins
Session Four
Xenoliths play a crucial role in interpretation of mantle deformation and geochemistry. Here, we integrate a suite of interrelated datasets extracted from large area EBSD mapping of entire geological thin sections of peridotite (olivine-rich) xenoliths from the Williams and Homestead kimberlites from the Wyoming Craton, Montana, USA to constrain bulk fabric and intragranular deformation mechanisms (misorientation analysis, “MOA”) in olivine. We compare these results to experimental values of the effect of trace amounts (ppm) of water on olivine slip systems. We also place our results in the context of the classic mantle deformation cycle, originally proposed by Mercier and Nicolas (1975).Session Four
15:20 – 15:35 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session Four
Session Four
15:35 – 15:50 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session Four
Session Four
15:50 – 15:55 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 5 mins
Session Four
Session Four
15:55 – 16:10 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 15 mins
Session Four
Session Four
16:10 – 16:13 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 3 mins
Session Four
Session Four
16:13 – 16:16 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 3 mins
Session Four
Session Four
16:16 – 16:49 GMT, 10 November 2021 ‐ 33 mins
Session Four
Engineering & Physical Sciences Section Chair, University of York
Roland is a Professor at the Department of Physics at the University of York concentrating on Nano- and Biomaterials using electron microscopy as well as various spectroscopy tools including Raman microscopy and X-ray techniques. He obtained his PhD from the University of Hamburg/Germany and the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Science and Technology in Braunschweig/Germany. Roland has since built a large expertise in Materials Physics and Materials Science covering diamond thin films, metal/semiconductor nanostructures, nitride based light-emitting devices, metal nanoparticles for biomedical applications and biominerals using focused ion beam as a key method for sample preparation and analysis. Besides his interest in multi-lengthscale material characterization in 3D he is particularly focussing on in situ techniques to study mineralisation processes in liquid environments.Welcome and Introduction Tuesday @ 1:00 PM
Cardiff University
Duncan is the Senior Electron Microbeam Technician in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at Cardiff University. His work focuses primarily on scanning electron microscope imaging and microanalysis of geological samples. Duncan studied Geology and gained a PhD at the University of Bristol researching subduction zone volcanism and magma processes. Prior to his postdoctoral studies he worked in the applied fields of Mineral Exploration and Offshore Geotechnics gaining a broad experience of Geosciences.Welcome and Introduction Tuesday @ 1:00 PM
University of Oxford
Nyree studied archaeology for her undergraduate degree at University of Toronto, and subsequently moved to the UK for her MSc degree in technology and analysis of archaeological materials. She is currently a PhD student at the University of Oxford in archaeological science. Her research interests include the analysis of ceramics using scanning electron microscopy and polarised light microscopy, in order to reverse-engineer the production and use of such materials in the past. Her fieldwork activities focus on the Caucasus region. Research areas include raw materials acquisition, manufacturing techniques, firing regimen, and the use/function of archaeological pottery. Nyree is the EPS Early Career Representative and is keen on organising archaeological science workshops, which integrate various scientific fields explored within RMS.Welcome and Introduction Tuesday @ 1:00 PM
University of Oxford
No bio provided
Invited: Archaeological science and globalisation: scientific explorations of metallurgical crucibles from southern Africa Tuesday @ 1:05 PM
Université Laval
No bio provided
Submitted: Better Together: Microanalysis of Archaeological Indigenous Ceramics using Petrography and Micro Computed Tomography Tuesday @ 1:35 PM
University of Padova
No bio provided
Submitted: Polychromatic polarization: new spectacles for the good old petrographic microscope Tuesday @ 1:50 PM
Bruker UK Ltd
No bio provided
Techno Bite: Cultural Heritage Under the Microscope: getting to the fine detail with advance elemental analysis (Bruker) Tuesday @ 2:05 PM
University of York
No bio provided
Submitted: Macroscopic and microscopic analysis of cut marks and trampling on human remains from the Covesea Caves, Scotland, dating to the Late Bronze Age and Roman Iron Age Tuesday @ 2:10 PM
University of Plymouth
No bio provided
Flash Talk: Intraplate Volcanism in Our Solar System; Using Scanning Electron Microscopy to Search for Terrestrial Analogues for Mars Tuesday @ 2:25 PM
Western University
No bio provided
Flash Talk: Beyond macroscopy: correlative tomography to investigate dental health in an Inca population from Farfán, Peru Tuesday @ 2:28 PM
University of Cambridge
No bio provided
Flash Talk: Microanalytical methodological approach to archaeological human bones: Between conservation and the understanding of the past Tuesday @ 2:31 PM
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Minnesota
Anette is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Minnesota where she runs the Electron Microprobe Laboratory. She received her M.Sc. in Geology from the University of Bonn and a Ph.D. in Geochemistry from the Max-Planck Institute for Chemistry, Germany. Her current research interests include developing microanalytical methods with a special focus on trace elements, ultra-light element (B, C, N, O) analysis, and low kV applications using soft X-ray emission spectroscopy.Invited: Chemical Analysis of Low Energy x-rays in Geological Materials using EPMA Tuesday @ 2:50 PM
University of Plymouth
No bio provided
Submitted: Meteorite Northwest Africa 5315: Determining the History of a Recrystallised HED Breccia through Scanning Electron Microscopy Tuesday @ 3:20 PM
Delmic BV
No bio provided
Submitted: Correlative cathodoluminescence and EDS imaging of the benthic agglutinated foraminifer Liebusella goesi Tuesday @ 3:35 PM
Linkam Scientific Insturments
No bio provided
Techno Bite: From Ancient Relics to Life on Mars: Enhancing your materials characterisation with temperature controlled microscopy (Linkam Scientific Instruments) Tuesday @ 3:50 PM
National History Museum
No bio provided
Submitted: Quantifying platinum group elements (PGEs): A novel scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM/EDS) approach to analysing terrestrial and extra-terrestrial samples Tuesday @ 3:55 PM
University of Patras
No bio provided
Flash Talk: Comparative Examination of Scanning Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis results from the Early Bronze Age pottery from Helike (Greece) and experimental briquettes Tuesday @ 4:10 PM
Natural History Museum
No bio provided
Flash Talk: Requirements for accurate and precise SEM/EDS quantification Tuesday @ 4:13 PM
Associate Professor, Head of Tephrochronology Group, School of Archaeology, University of Oxford
School of Archaeology, University of Oxford
Victoria is a specialist in volcanology and the characterisation of volcanic ash layers to date and correlate sedimentary records (tephrochronology) in the School of Archaeology at the University of Oxford. She completed her PhD in Geology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand and moved to the University of Bristol for a 3-year postdoctoral research project in 2006. She joined the School of Archaeology in 2009 to head the tephrochronology research group and manage specialist laboratories to identify and chemically characterise volcanic ash layers. Dr Smith's current research focusses on building detailed records of the composition of explosive volcanism across the globe such that ash layers can be used for far-reaching chronology in both space and time. She is particularly interested in the frequency, size and impact of large eruptions, and is currently working on collaborative projects in Japan, Mexico and Italy.
Invited: Microanalysis for Tephrochronology Wednesday @ 1:05 PM
NanoMEGAS SPRL
No bio provided
Submitted: Can we distinguish between ancient black glazed pottery and its contemporary replica? TEM Phase Mapping Microscopy studies towards authentication Wednesday @ 1:35 PM
University of Glasgow
No bio provided
Submitted Talk: When is a biomineral not a biomineral? Multi-scale complexity of iron oxide crystallisation in the Gunflint Chert Wednesday @ 1:50 PM
JEOL,
No bio provided
Techno Bite: EPMA from JEOL (JEOL) Wednesday @ 2:05 PM
SuperSTEM Laboratory
No bio provided
Submitted: Nanometre functional chemistry of organic meteorites using STEM-EELS Wednesday @ 2:10 PM
University of Leicester
No bio provided
Flash Talk: Geologist v Machine: Why a geologist is still important, even in ‘automated’ data collection Wednesday @ 2:25 PM
University of Glasgow
No bio provided
Flash Talk: High Spatial Resolution Mineralogical Quantification by Unsupervised Machine Learning of Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS) Wednesday @ 2:28 PM
Czech Academy of Sciences
No bio provided
Flash Talk: The Story of One Pellet Wednesday @ 2:31 PM
Flash Talk: The Story of One Pellet Wednesday @ 2:31 PM
Invited: Maximizing data extraction from large are EBSD maps of geological thin sections: recent examples using mantle xenoliths Wednesday @ 2:50 PM
Xnovo Technology
No bio provided
Submitted: 3D non-destructive Crystallographic Imaging of Peridotite with Lab-based X-ray Diffraction Contrast Tomography Wednesday @ 3:20 PM
Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis
No bio provided
Submitted: Determining the P-T history of metamorphic rocks using combined EBSD and EDS Wednesday @ 3:35 PM
Gatan EDAX,
No bio provided
Techno Bite: Enhanced understanding of geological and archaeological materials using combined x-ray and optical spectroscopies (Gatan EDAX) Wednesday @ 3:50 PM
Thermo Fisher Scientific
No bio provided
Submitted: Automated identification and evaluation of minerals by SEM-EDS: maps mineralogy – the simple tool for complex rocks Wednesday @ 3:55 PM
Imperial College
No bio provided
Flash Talk: Magnetic recording of Earth’s history: A 3D nanoscale characterisation of Glen Mountain GC4-3-13 Wednesday @ 4:10 PM
University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
No bio provided
Flash Talk: Geochemical composition of archaeological soils as an environmental archive of changes between Celtic and medieval occupation; case study from hillfort Chotěbuz Wednesday @ 4:13 PM