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A Novel Method of Archaeological Bronze Identification - Electromagnetic Signatures vs Chemical Composition

Received: 22 February 2021     Accepted: 8 March 2021     Published: 12 March 2021
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Abstract

Bronze metallurgy was a significant step in human technology and civilization as societies evolved from the Neolithic to the Bronze period and acquired the ability to shape different metals into useful tools. The technology to work with copper and bronze was independently developed across the world and, due to different smelting techniques and local ore chemistry, metal ware developed in different regions of the world at various time periods have unique chemical profiles. We previously developed a technique to identify metal alloys based on their stimulated dynamic magnetic signatures. We demonstrated that metals of different chemical composition would exhibit different electrical conductivity, and thus different magnetic field strengths when evoked by different levels of electric current. We further demonstrated that the electromagnetic signatures could be detected by the internal magnetometers located inside most smartphones as a part of the internal compass. In this manuscript we have compiled the electromagnetic signatures and magnetic force vectors of different copper alloys in various electromagnetic fields. The database of signatures are cross-referenced to chemical composition and tensile strength such that one can quickly compare the magnetic signatures of any unknown copper and bronze artifact and arrive at a tentative identity of the metal artifact.

Published in International Journal of Archaeology (Volume 9, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ija.20210901.13
Page(s) 17-23
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Archaeology, Metallurgy, Bronze, Chemical Composition, Electromagnetism, Vector

References
[1] History World, (2020). History of Metallurgy. Downloaded May, 21. file:///C:/Users/raymo/Downloads/10.11648.j.ija.20200801.11%20(1).pdf
[2] Gale, N. H., Z. A. Stos-Gale, and G. R. Gilmore. (1985). Alloy Types and Copper Sources of Anatolian Copper Alloy Artifacts. Anatolian Studies, vol. 35, pp. 143–173. JSTOR. www.jstor.org/stable/3642880.
[3] Muhly, James David. (1985). Sources of Tin and the Beginnings of Bronze Metallurgy. American Journal of Archaeology, vol. 89, no. 2, pp. 275–291. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/504330.
[4] Lopez, Ana M. (2009). Metalworking Through History: An Encyclopedia. Westport: Greenwood.
[5] Raymond, Robert. (1984). Out of the Fiery Furnace: The Impact of Metals on the History of Mankind. University Park: Penn State University.
[6] Muhly, James David. (1976). Copper and Tin: The Distribution of Mineral Resources and the Nature of the Metal Trade in the Bronze Age. Hamden: Archon.
[7] Tykot, Robert H, (2020). Investigating Ancient “Bronzes”: Non-Destructive Analysis of Copper-Based Alloys. http://www.getty.edu/publications/artistryinbronze/conservation-and-analysis/36-tykot/
[8] Bruker (2015). Tracer Series pXRF Spectrometer. April 30. https://www.bruker.com/products/x-ray-diffraction-and-elemental-analysis/handheld-xrf/tracer-iii/overview.html
[9] Logan, Judy. (2007). Identifying Archaeological Metal – Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) Notes 4/1. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/identifying-archaeological-metal.html
[10] Chen, Lucas Braddock. (2019). Determining Fencing Blade Quality Using Dynamic Magnetic Field Measurements. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Filed May 24, 2019. Published September 12.
[11] Chen, Lucas Braddock, (2020). Magnetic Signature of Composite Steel - An Experimental Protocol. Science Innovation (in press).
[12] Baldini, Gianmarco Baldini. (2017). Identification of Mobile Phones Using the Built-In Magnetometers Stimulated by Motion Patterns. Sensors. 17 (4): 783.
[13] Odenwald, Sten. (2019). Smartphone Sensors for Citizen Science Applications: Radioactivity and Magnetism. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice. May 17.
[14] Arribas, Enrique. (2015). Measurement of the Magnetic Field of Small Magnets with a Smartphone: A Very Economical Laboratory Practice for Introductory Physics Courses. European Journal of Physics. 36 (6): 11.
[15] Vickers Hardness Test. (2020). https://www.gordonengland.co.uk/hardness/vickers.htm
[16] Chen, Lucas Braddock. (2020). Rapid Identification of Saber Steel Flexibility, Microhardness, and Chemical Composition by Analyzing Electromagnetic Signatures. American Journal of Sports Science. 8 (2): 29-32.
[17] Chen, Lucas Braddock. (2020). Determining Composition of Metal Artifacts Using Dynamic Electromagnetic Profile Managements. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Filed March 13.
[18] Metal Supermarkets. (2015). Which Metals Conduct Electricity? September 22. https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/which-metals-conduct-electricity/
[19] Chen, Lucas Braddock (2020). Archaeometallurgical Analysis of Bronze Artifacts: A Magnetometer Approach. Archaeological Discovery. Vol. 8, No. 3, July.
[20] All Metals & Forge Group. “Tensile Strength of Steel and Other Metals.” Download May 19, 2020. https://www.steelforge.com/literature/metal-tidbits/tensile-strength/
[21] Clifton Steel, “Tensile Strength vs Yield Strength.” Posted April 3, 2019. Downloaded May 19, 2020. https://www.cliftonsteel.com/knowledge-center/tensile-and-yield-strength
[22] Rolled Alloys. “Machine Guidelines.” Download May 19, 2020. https://www.rolledalloys.com/technical-resources/fabrication-information/machining/
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Lucas Braddock Chen. (2021). A Novel Method of Archaeological Bronze Identification - Electromagnetic Signatures vs Chemical Composition. International Journal of Archaeology, 9(1), 17-23. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ija.20210901.13

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    ACS Style

    Lucas Braddock Chen. A Novel Method of Archaeological Bronze Identification - Electromagnetic Signatures vs Chemical Composition. Int. J. Archaeol. 2021, 9(1), 17-23. doi: 10.11648/j.ija.20210901.13

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    AMA Style

    Lucas Braddock Chen. A Novel Method of Archaeological Bronze Identification - Electromagnetic Signatures vs Chemical Composition. Int J Archaeol. 2021;9(1):17-23. doi: 10.11648/j.ija.20210901.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ija.20210901.13,
      author = {Lucas Braddock Chen},
      title = {A Novel Method of Archaeological Bronze Identification - Electromagnetic Signatures vs Chemical Composition},
      journal = {International Journal of Archaeology},
      volume = {9},
      number = {1},
      pages = {17-23},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ija.20210901.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ija.20210901.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ija.20210901.13},
      abstract = {Bronze metallurgy was a significant step in human technology and civilization as societies evolved from the Neolithic to the Bronze period and acquired the ability to shape different metals into useful tools. The technology to work with copper and bronze was independently developed across the world and, due to different smelting techniques and local ore chemistry, metal ware developed in different regions of the world at various time periods have unique chemical profiles. We previously developed a technique to identify metal alloys based on their stimulated dynamic magnetic signatures. We demonstrated that metals of different chemical composition would exhibit different electrical conductivity, and thus different magnetic field strengths when evoked by different levels of electric current. We further demonstrated that the electromagnetic signatures could be detected by the internal magnetometers located inside most smartphones as a part of the internal compass. In this manuscript we have compiled the electromagnetic signatures and magnetic force vectors of different copper alloys in various electromagnetic fields. The database of signatures are cross-referenced to chemical composition and tensile strength such that one can quickly compare the magnetic signatures of any unknown copper and bronze artifact and arrive at a tentative identity of the metal artifact.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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    T1  - A Novel Method of Archaeological Bronze Identification - Electromagnetic Signatures vs Chemical Composition
    AU  - Lucas Braddock Chen
    Y1  - 2021/03/12
    PY  - 2021
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    T2  - International Journal of Archaeology
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    SN  - 2330-7595
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ija.20210901.13
    AB  - Bronze metallurgy was a significant step in human technology and civilization as societies evolved from the Neolithic to the Bronze period and acquired the ability to shape different metals into useful tools. The technology to work with copper and bronze was independently developed across the world and, due to different smelting techniques and local ore chemistry, metal ware developed in different regions of the world at various time periods have unique chemical profiles. We previously developed a technique to identify metal alloys based on their stimulated dynamic magnetic signatures. We demonstrated that metals of different chemical composition would exhibit different electrical conductivity, and thus different magnetic field strengths when evoked by different levels of electric current. We further demonstrated that the electromagnetic signatures could be detected by the internal magnetometers located inside most smartphones as a part of the internal compass. In this manuscript we have compiled the electromagnetic signatures and magnetic force vectors of different copper alloys in various electromagnetic fields. The database of signatures are cross-referenced to chemical composition and tensile strength such that one can quickly compare the magnetic signatures of any unknown copper and bronze artifact and arrive at a tentative identity of the metal artifact.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Foundation for the Advancement of Anthropology & History, Menlo Park, CA, USA

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