Characterization of the chemical composition of archaeological glass finds from South-Eastern Bulgaria using PIXE, PIGE and ICP-AES

Using PIXE (proton induced X-ray emission), PIGE (proton induced gamma emission) and ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy) the concentrations of the 24 elements Al, As, Ba, Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Pb, Rb, S, Sb, Si, Sn, Sr, Ti, Zn and Zr in 53 archaeological glass samples from South-Eastern Bulgaria, were determined. The glasses are dated from the 1st to 6th century AD. The analytical data showed the samples to be typical soda-lime-silica glass, with natron as flux. A rather broad range of aluminium, titanium and iron impurities was found, with a tendency for more impure glass in the later periods. The decolouring agents were antimony and manganese oxides, with Sb prevailing in earlier, and Mn in later glass. (author)