Bridging Science and Heritage in the Balkans: Studies in Archaeometry and Cultural Heritage Restoration and Conservation

In a period when, particularly in the West, the study of archaeological remains is enriched through new methods derived from the natural sciences and when there is general agreement on the need for more investment in the study, restoration and conservation of the tangible cultural heritage, this book presents contributions to these fields from South-Eastern Europe. This region is characterised by a contrast between the rather limited development of the above scientific methods and the particularly rich and diverse material remains of its past societies, as well as by an obvious need to bring closer together traditionally-trained archaeologists with specialists in natural sciences interested in the research and conservation of ancient material remains. The title ‘Bridging Science and Heritage in the Balkans’ intends to show that the volume is part of this effort. The departing point of this volume is the 5th Balkan Symposium of Archaeometry (25-29 September 2016, Sinaia, Romania), where most of the papers published here were presented in preliminary form. The contributors are specialists from South-Eastern Europe as well as from other European countries working there. Some chapters focus on methods (in the research of glass, restoration of stone monuments affected by contemporary graffiti, conservation by irradiation of organic materials such as wood and human and animal body remains); most chapters present case studies (analyses of ceramics, metals, soils, wood anatomy, isotope-based reconstruction of human diet, ancient DNA, radiocarbon dating, technology assisted field survey, as well as restoration of paper and pigments); sometimes several methods are combined. The volume covers nearly all aspects of heritage sciences employed in this part of Europe.

Foreword – Livius Trache ;

Multiple Investigation Methods Combined ;

Micro-and Macroarchaeology – How Can the Two Be Combined? – by Ulrike Sommer, Silvia Amicone, Elena Chernysheva ;

Archaeometry and Individual Biographies: Evidence from Radiocarbon Dating, Isotope-Based Diet Reconstruction and Metal Composition from the 14th-17th-Century Cemetery in Bărăşti (Southern Romania) – by Nona Palincaş, Corina Anca Simion, Gabriela Odilia Sava, Oana Gâza, Tiberiu Bogdan Sava, Bogdan Constantinescu, Daniela Stan and Maria Mihaela Manea) ;

Radiocarbon Dating ;

Case Studies on the Dating of Bronze Age Cremation Burials in Hungary – by János Dani, Kitti Köhler, Gabriella Kulcsár, István Major, Eszter Melis, Róbert Patay, Géza Szabó, Tamás Hajdu, István Futó, Róbert Huszánk and Viktória Kiss) ;

Revisiting the Radiocarbon-Based Chronology of the Wietenberg Culture (Middle Bronze Age Transylvania): A Debate of Supra-Regional Relevance – by Nona Palincaş, Mihai Rotea, Tiberiu Bogdan Sava, Gabriela Odilia Sava, Oana Gâza, Monica Bodea and Constantin David) ;

Archaeological-Historical Information and Radiocarbon Dating: Problems of the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age Chronology of the Carpathian-Danubian-Balkan Region – by Attila László ;

Radiocarbon Dating of the Wooden Church in Borovineşti (Southern Romania, 19th Century): An Attempt to Elucidate the History of the Church – by Corina Anca Simion, Nona Palincaş, Gabriela Odilia Sava, Oana Gâza, Iuliana Mădălina Stanciu, Tiberiu Bogdan Sava, Doru Gheorghe Păceşilă, Iulia Anania and Laurenţiu Dragomir ;

Archaeometallurgy ;

Compositional Analysis of the Agighiol Hoard: Provenance and Possible Links to Pieces in the Detroit Institute of Arts and the NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art – by Bogdan Constantinescu, Daniela Stan, Angela Vasilescu and Mircea Babeş ;

Ceramics ;

Compositional Analysis of the White and Red Colours in the Chalcolithic ‘Sanctuary’ at Căscioarele-‘Ostrovel’ tell (Southern Romania, c. 4800-4550 cal BC) – by Radu-Alexandru Dragoman, Maria-Mihaela Manea, Radu Florin Andrei, Dragoş Alexandru Mirea, Mădălina Răvar, Corina Anca Simion and Mihai Straticiuc ;

Archaeometric Studies of Boian Pottery from Nanov-‘Vistireasa 3’ (Teleorman County, Romania, c. 4800-4500 cal BC) – by Vasile Opriş, Dragoş Alexandru Mirea, Radu Florin Andrei, Mihai Straticiuc, Corina Anca Simion, Ioana Stănculescu, Lucreţia Miu and Laurenţiu Dincă ;

Glass ;

Glass Analysis in Relation to Historical Questions – by Žiga Šmit ;

Pigments ;

A Decorated Islamic Manuscript from the Ottoman Turkish Period: Paper Characterization, Dating and Conservation – by Maja Kostadinovska, Irena Naumovska, Zorica Jakovleska Spirovska and Tatijana Kančevska Smičkovska ;

The Micro-Chemical and Spectroscopic Study of Component Materials in 18th- and 19th- Century Printed Holy Books – by Maja Kostadinovska, Orhideja Grupče, Zorica Jakovleska-Spirovska and Biljana Minčeva-Šukarova ;

DNA Analysis ;

DNA Analysis of the Human Remains Found in a Cucuteni Ritual Pit in Eastern Romania (4100-3800 cal BC) – by Neculai Bolohan, Florica Măţău, Mitică Ciorpac and Dragoş Lucian Gorgan ;

Archaeometric Field Research Methods ;

The Boyadzhik Concession Area: the Use of GIS Technology in the Protection of Cultural Heritage – by Todor Valchev and Stefan Bakardzhiev ;

Heritage Conservation Methods ;

Laser-Assisted Removal of Graffiti Paint on Stone: Potential Use in the Restoration of Cultural Heritage Monuments – by Viktoria Atanassova, Ivan Kostadinov, Peter Zahariev and Margarita Grozeva ;

Cultural Heritage Disinfection by Irradiation – Corneliu C. Ponta ;

Nuclear Techniques in Preservation Treatments of Archaeological Organic Materials and How to Take Archaeological Studies into Account When Applying Them – by Laurent Cortella

Nona Palincas is senior researcher with the Vasile Parvan Institute of Archaeology of the Romanian Academy in Bucharest. Her research interests include both social archaeology (particularly gender, body practices, power, knowledge, agency and creativity in the south-east European Bronze and Iron Ages and in contemporary archaeology) and archaeometry (primarily radiocarbon dating and analysis of archaeological ceramics). She has conducted excavations in the pre- and protohistoric settlement at Popesti (Romania), the Late Iron Age habitation of which was identified with Argedaon/Argedava − the residence of the father of the Dacian king Burebista. In various publications she has pleaded for stronger development of archaeological theory and of archaeometry in Romania and in South-Eastern Europe in general.

• Edited by Nona Palincas
• Edited by Corneliu C. Ponta