What [More] Can LA-ICP-MS Do For Archaeology?

激光烧蚀-电感耦合等离子体质谱(LA-ICP-MS)是一种相对较新的材料化学表征技术，在考古研究中具有很大的潜力。该仪器的分析端(电感耦合等离子体质谱)是一种极其灵敏、精确的分析工具，能够在十亿分之一的浓度水平上测量元素周期表中的大多数元素。有了计算机驱动的激光消融前端，LA-ICPMS可以原位分析固体材料，而不需要化学消化。此外，由于激光可以瞄准直径小到5-10微米的斑点，而消融通常只去除大约5微米的材料，因此LA-ICP-MS相当于一种高灵敏度的微探头，适合分析非均质基质中的表面和微小夹杂物。在考古学中，LA-ICP-MS的潜在应用包括鉴定古代陶瓷上的泥浆、釉料和颜料的来源和技术；分析陶瓷产地研究中回火的影响；确定绿松石、铜矿和铜的来源；以及确定玛雅玉器的来源。在过去的两年里，赫克托·内夫博士和他的合作者探索了这些和其他潜在的考古应用。虽然这项研究证明了LA-ICPMS在考古学中的一些潜力，但它也表明，许多潜在的应用仍然没有被认识到，因为很少有考古学家能够获得这种分析仪器。本项目将扩大考古学家获得LA-ICPMS仪器的机会，支持对LA-ICPMS实验室的短期访问(一至两周)。2001年夏季实施的一项短期游客试点方案展示了这种方法的回报。对新材料进行了分析，对新的考古问题进行了调查。此外，熟悉考古材料的人员与熟悉LA-ICPMS的人员被召集在一起，这导致了采样设计和分析方案的快速发展，并最大限度地减少了时间和精力的浪费。在某些情况下，在访问期间提出并追查了新的问题。总体而言，这些项目带来了相当大的兴奋和生产力，这构成了皮内夫寻求资金扩大该计划的强大动力。这笔由美国国家科学基金会提供的资金将允许皮内夫和一系列短期参观者探索LA-ICP-MS的新的和潜在的创新考古应用。项目将从美国考古研究界征集，不受学术水平(本科到专业)的限制。最新颖项目的发起人将参观加州州立大学长滩分校最先进的LA-ICP-MS实验室，在那里他们将与Pi Nef合作一到两周。在许多情况下，预计在初次访问期间进行的研究将产生一些问题，这些问题将通过更广泛的抽样和分析加以解决。该计划可能对考古知识做出贡献的一些领域相对容易识别(例如，确定古代陶瓷上的颜料和颜料的来源)，但由于LA-ICPMS对考古学来说是如此新，一些令人惊讶的新应用也是可以预期的。

Laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is a relatively new technique for chemical characterization of materials that has a great deal of potential for archaeological research. The analytical end of the instrument (the ICP-MS) is an extremely sensitive, precise analytical tool that is capable of measuring most elements of the periodic table at concentration levels of around one part per billion. With a computer-driven, laser-ablation front end, LA-ICP-MS can analyze solid materials in situ without chemical digestion. Moreover, since the laser can be targeted at spots as small as 5 - 10 microns in diameter, and ablation typically removes only about 5 microns of material, LA-ICP-MS amounts to a highly sensitive microprobe suitable for analyzing surfaces and small inclusions in heterogeneous matrices. In archaeology, potential applications of LA-ICP-MS include identification of sources and technology of slips, glazes, and paints on ancient ceramics; analysis of the effect of temper in ceramic provenance studies; determination of sources of turquoise, copper ore, and copper; and determination of sources of Maya jades. Over the past two years, Dr. Hector Neff and his collaborators have explored these and other potential archaeological applications. Although this research demonstrated some of the potential of LA-ICP-MS in archaeology, it also suggested that many potential applications are remaining unrecognized because very few archaeologists have access to the analytical instrumentation. The present project will broaden access by archaeologists to LA-ICP-MS instrumentation by supporting short-term visits (one to two weeks) to a LA-ICP-MS lab. A pilot short-term visitor program implemented during summer 2001 demonstrated the payoffs of such an approach. New materials were analyzed and new archaeological questions were investigated. In addition, individuals familiar with the archaeological materials were brought together with individuals familiar with LA-ICP-MS, and this led to rapid development of sampling designs and analytical protocols and a minimum of wasted time and effort. In some cases, new questions arose and were pursued during the visits. Overall, considerable excitement and productivity were generated by the projects, and this constituted a powerful motivation for PI Neff to seek funds to extend the program. Funds provided by this NSF grant will permit PI Neff and a series of short-term visitors to explore new and potentially innovative archaeological applications of LA-ICP-MS. Projects will be solicited from the US archaeological research community without restriction as to academic level (undergraduate through professional). Originators of the most novel projects will visit the state-of-the-art LA-ICP-MS laboratory at California State University, Long Beach, where they will work with PI Neff for periods of one to two weeks. In many cases, it is anticipated that research carried out during the initial visit will generate questions that will be addressed through more extensive sampling and analysis. Some areas in which this program is likely to make contributions to archaeological knowledge are relatively easy to identify (e.g., determination of the provenance of paints and pigments on ancient ceramics), but, since LA-ICP-MS is so new to archaeology, some surprising new kinds of applications may be anticipated as well.