Vorträge - Universität Salzburg

Abstracts Primus Conventus Austriacus Archaeometriae - MMIX
der römischen Kaiserzeit existieren. Neuere naturwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zeigen
außerdem, dass im Bereich der Spurenelemente durchaus Unterschiede zwischen den
römischen Gläsern feststellbar sind. Auf dieser Basis wurde in einer Studie versucht,
verschiedene Gruppen von römischen Gläsern zu definieren.
Plant-ash glass beads from Elateia-Alonaki, Greece: the study of technology
and provenance
Kalliopi Nikita
University of Nottingham, School of Humanities, Department of Archaeology, University Park, NG7 2RD,
Nottingham, Great Britain, +44-11595-14820, Kalliopi.Nikita@nottingham.ac.uk
The current paper presents the results from the chemical analyses of glass from the cemetery
site of Elateia-Alonaki in east central mainland Greece. The materials date to the Late Bronze
Age and the Early Iron Age covering the chronological range between the 14 th and early 10 th
century BC. The research population consists of one hundred and fifty-five glass samples of a
wide range of colours and forms, such as simple monochrome and bichrome beads as well as
monochrome relief plaques. Electron probe microanalysis allowed identification of the major
and minor, and trace elements of glass. Owing to variations in the alkali contents and their
associated impurities three major compositional groupings were distinguished suggesting
three distinct alkali sources employed in their production, namely ashes from halophytic
plants, natron and mixed-alkalis. Special emphasis is placed on the technology and production
of the cobalt blue glass of the plant-ash type. Compositional analyses of glass from
contemporary sites in east central mainland Greece – Thebes, Leivanates-Kokkinonyzes and
Atalanti-Spartia - will be considered in conjunction with the published glass analyses for
Egypt and Mesopotamia. The paper aims to discuss variations and affinities amongst the
plant-ash glass technology of Mycenaean Greece and the eastern glass producing centres and
define the degree of specialization of the Mycenaean glass industry. Ultimately, plant-ash
glass beads from Elateia-Alonaki will provide valuable insights into the archaeology of the
Mycenaean peripheral world.
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