A comprehensive archaeometric analysis of a novel special organic finding in a glass unguentarium: NMR, FT-IR, SEM/EDX

Abstract

In this study, systematical analyses were employed to determine that which period the historical artifact belonged, and evaluations were based on the glass-making technology of the period. In addition, since organic substances were carried in these glass bottles, they are likely to be the medicine or ornaments at that time; by using recently developed techniques as NMRSEM– EDX and interpret them in the correct way, it was possible to predict what the yellow oily looking organic substance might be in. As the mouth of the glass bottle is completely closed with clay, the characterization of this organic material was made on the clay sample taken from the underneath of the environment without damaging the historical artifact. The trace organic matter residues on the clay were isolated and characterized by NMR spectrometry; this sample was characterized with FT-IR. Finally, the surface morphology of the clay–oil mixture was examined morphologically with SEM, and with EDX, elemental analysis was performed. In the results obtained, it was concluded that the organic material in the historical artifact could be olive oil with a high content of palmitic acid. With this study, the content of the artifact could be clarified by making a structural examination of the remains without damaging the historical artifact.