[en] Complete text of publication follows. Experimental data indicate that the elegant multiple-specimen technique of Dekkers and Boehnel (2006) tends to systematically overestimate paleointensity for intermediate pseudo-single domain to multi-domain (MD) particle sizes. By analyzing the relevant properties of thermoremanence acquisition, it is possible to design an extended version of the multiple-specimen technique, which is more reliable in the critical domain state range. The improved measurement scheme regards for the fraction of demagnetized remanence, estimates the MD contribution, and corrects MD overestimates. Furthermore, it removes viscous overprints, and uses an alteration check for determining error bars on the final paleointensity result. Experimental results on synthetic samples show the effectiveness of the improved technique.

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[en] Neutron radiography is more useful for certain materials than are the other radiographic techniques. Some neutrons are attenuated by light materials such as water, hydrocarbons and boron, but penetrate through heavy materials such as steel, lead and uranium. The object must be irradiated by neutrons for neutron radiography. The neutron irradiation can take place in a reactor or with a neutron source. The transfer technique relies on the build-up of radioactivity in a foil due to neutron absorption. In this way an activation image is formed in the foil. For this technique, dysprosium (¹⁶⁴Dy) and indium (¹¹⁵In) foils can be used. After this irradiation, foils are transferred to a film in the dark-room, the latent image being formed in the film by decay radiation from the foil. The neutron radiography technique has been applied to a sword together with its sheath (inventory number 83/173) (Tugrul and Erdal 1987); a piece of cloth was visible on the handle of the sword. Sword and sheath had become corroded together. The artefact is from the Ikiztepe excavation near the city of Samsun in north Anatolia and belongs to the Early Bronze Age. First, X-ray radiography showed that the sword had been destroyed in large part and was not suitable for conservation and restoration procedures. Second, neutron radiography was carried out. Dysprosium-164 was used for the transfer method as a foil screen and irradiated in the reactor at 100 kW for half an hour. The dysprosium foil remained against the radiographic (Structurix, D-7) film for approximately three half-lives after the irradiation. The neutron radiograph shows the cloth layer continuing towards the bottom of the sheath. Through the cloth, water would have been introduced to the inside of the sheath and this was the main cause of corrosion to the artefact and so of the sword's destruction. (author)

[en] A comparison between radiocarbon ages and archaeologically estimated ages for samples from Finland indicates that the radiocarbon ages in many cases are much younger than the estimated ages. The distribution of the samples in an estimated age/radiocarbon age diagram shows that a contamination of younger material can hardly have made many of the ages younger. The samples must therefore consist of young material into the cultural layers. (author)

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[en] As a contribution to the 'International Comparative Study on Waterlogged Wood' (Grattan-Schweingruber-Project) of the ICOM Working Group on Waterlogged Organic Materials seven archaeological wood samples from sites in Canada, England, the Netherlands, Japan, Norway and Western Australia have been treated. The conservation process consisted of freeze-drying following a polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) treatment and - for fragile objects - of a resin impregnation using a radiation-curable impregnant and gamma radiation for curing. The results are discussed, however without paying regard to the other contributions to this international study. 20 refs., 3 tabs., 30 figs. (Author)

[en] A list is given of radiocarbon laboratories known to be active, and open to archaeologists, at least in some circumstances. It is not claimed to have produced an exhaustive list, which can be found in the journal Radiocarbon. The present list gives (a) some indication to would-be users, of the ability of willingness of laboratories to undertake archaeological dating; (b) a statement from each laboratory concerning the special services it may offer; (c) the likely time taken to obtain a C-14 date; and (d) a scale of charges. (U.K.)

[en] The use of X-ray fluorescence in analysing ancient copper alloys and faiences is outlined for a number of archaeological problems. The ability to analyse material non-destructively and the important advantages to lightweight, portable equipment are considered and discussed in the light of recent experience. Neutron activation analysis of ancient pottery is another valuable archaeological research tool; the technique and some of the principles involved are outlined. The importance of correlating pottery with ancient clay sources is stressed. (author)

[en] Age determination using thermoluminescence (recovery of radiation damage) in archeology. (HP) 891 HP