| Title: | Material Evidence of Sediments Recovered from Ancient Amphorae Found at the Potaissa Roman Fortress |
| Author(s): | Farcas IA; Dippong T; Petean I; Moldovan M; Filip MR; Ciotlaus I; Tudoran LB; Borodi G; Paltinean GA; Pripon E; Bunea CI; |
| Address: | "Faculty of Horticulture and Rural Business Development, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5Manastur Str., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Faculty of Science, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 76 Victoriei Street, 430122 Baia Mare, Romania. Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Babes-Bolyai University, 11 Arany Janos Street, 400028 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Department of Polymer Composites, Institute of Chemistry 'Raluca Ripan', Babes-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Department of Organic Compounds and Natural Products, Institute of Chemistry 'Raluca Ripan', Babes-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University, 44 Gheorghe Bilascu Street, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 65-103 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Zalau County Museum of History and Art, 9 Unirii Str., 450042 Zalau, Romania" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1996-1944 (Print) 1996-1944 (Electronic) 1996-1944 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Methods for material investigation are powerful tools that allow specialists to elucidate important aspects regarding ancient artifacts such as the Roman amphorae deposits discovered at Potaissa Fortress in Turda, Romania. Archeological debate states that the deposit contained olive oil and wine amphorae, but no material evidence has been presented until now. The current research is focused on the most representative large amphora fragments found in the Potaissa deposit, with a significant amount of sediment on their walls, to give archeologists the material proof to elucidate their debate. Sediment was collected from each fragment and subjected to complex analysis. XRD investigation combined with cross-polarized light microscopy demonstrated mineral particles such as quartz, clay (muscovite and traces of biotite), and calcite. Quartz and calcite particles have a rounded shape and diameters in a range of 20-200 microm, and clay particles have a lamellar shape and dimensions from 1 to 20 microm, a fact confirmed by SEM microscopy. Sample 2 presented a large amount of amorphous phase followed by Samples 1 and 3, with a low amount of organic phase. FTIR investigation confirms organic phase presence owing to strong absorption bands regarding C-H, C=O, and O-H chemical bonds related to aliphatic compounds in Sample 2, and to some decayed wine residue in Samples 1 and 3. EDS elemental analysis was used for organic particle identification in the amphora sediments and to obtain a correlation with their microstructure. GC-MS investigation showed volatile compounds related to wine residue for Samples 1 and 3 and decomposed fats for Sample 2. Tartaric and malic acid were identified by HPLC in Samples 1 and 3, which are wine biomarkers. The correlation of all experimental results concludes with no doubt that Amphora 2 contained olive oil and Amphorae 1 and 3 contained wine in ancient times" |
| Keywords: | ancient sediments archaeometry material evidence elemental analysis; |
| Notes: | "PubMed-not-MEDLINEFarcas, Iulia Alexandra Dippong, Thomas Petean, Ioan Moldovan, Marioara Filip, Miuta Rafila Ciotlaus, Irina Tudoran, Lucian Barbu Borodi, Gheorghe Paltinean, Gertrud Alexandra Pripon, Emanoil Bunea, Claudiu Ioan eng Switzerland 2023/04/14 Materials (Basel). 2023 Mar 26; 16(7):2628. doi: 10.3390/ma16072628" |
