Degradation Products on Byzantine Glasses from Northern Tunisia

Valeria Comite,Paola Fermo,Mauro Francesco La Russa,Donatella Barca,Marzia Fantauzzi,Antonella Rossi,Davide Atzei,Martina Andreoli,Vittoria Guglielmi

doi:10.3390/app10217523

Abstract

This study deals with the identification of the degradation products present on some Byzantine glasses coming from an archaeological excavation in Northern Tunisia. The main purpose of the present investigation is the identification of the products and the characterization of surface altered points, namely iridescent and black patinas, which are present on some selected glasses. Non-destructive techniques such as XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy), SEM-EDS (Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy), ATR-FTIR (Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Infrared Spectroscopy) and LA-ICP-MS (Laser-Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry) are here exploited. SEM-EDS was employed to ascertain the morphological structure and the chemical composition of various points, apparently different, on the glass surfaces. Small area XPS was performed for identifying the elements present on the sample surface, for determining their chemical state and for establishing the atomic composition of the morphologically different regions. LA-ICP-MS was exploited to determine the chemical composition as far as the trace elements are concerned. The presence of iridescent patinas and of encrustations has been highlighted on the glass surfaces in correspondence to the altered areas: iridescent patinas are due to the fact that the glasses are depleted in alkali and alkaline earths. The incrustations resulted due to the presence of calcium carbonates, and/or oxyhydroxides. In one case sulfides were also detected by SEM.

Highlights

A very interesting aspect concerning archaeological glass analysis is represented by the study of the degradation and corrosion processes [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
In a previous paper we have thoroughly investigated by means of numerous analytical techniques [28] a group of Roman and Byzantine glass shards collected during an excavation campaign at Aïn Wassel in the surroundings of the ancient city of Thugga in northern Tunisia [29,30], a territory belonged to the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis and flourishing during the Roman and Byzantine periods
In the present study SEM-EDS investigations made it possible to highlight mainly two kinds of surface degradation developed on the different samples, i.e., iridescent patinas and crusts

Summary

Introduction

A very interesting aspect concerning archaeological glass analysis is represented by the study of the degradation and corrosion processes [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. Surface alteration is due to burial conditions and depends on different parameters such as temperature, humidity, pH [8] glass-composition and pollution. Both soil and groundwater compositions, if the objects were buried, play an important role in the glass degradation phenomena. Other factors include the exposure time, the temperature (especially fluctuating temperatures), the amount of water that comes in contact with the surface and the alkalinity or acidity of the burial environment [8,9].

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion