Gunther A. Wagner - Böcker

The field of Luminescence Dating has reached a level of maturity. Both research and applications from all fields of archaeological science, from archaeological materials to anthropology and geoarchaeology, now routinely employ luminescence dating. The advent of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques and the potential for exploring a spectrum of grain aliquots enhanced the applicability, accuracy and the precision of luminescence dating. The present contribution reviews the physical basis, mechanisms and methodological aspects of luminescence dating; discusses advances in instrumentations and facilities, improvements in analytical procedures, and statistical treatment of data along with some examples of applications across continents, covering all periods (Middle Palaeolithic to Medieval) and both Old and New World archaeology.  They also include interdisciplinary applications that contribute to palaeo-landscape reconstruction.

When reconstructing the past, the archaeologist needs to take into account all kinds of relevant information. Where no written evidence is available, the natural sciences play an indispensable role. Troia is a remarkable site in this respect. The present Troia project, under the directorship of Manfred Korfmann, integrates various disciplines including geoarchaeology, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, anthropology, geophysical prospection as well as chemical and technological studies of metal, stone and pottery. Hardly any other archaeological project is supported so intensely and on such a broad scale by archaeometric investigations as the international research group in Troia. In April 2001 an International Symposium was held in Heidelberg, Germany, with the aim of promoting scientific interaction and providing synopses of the various disciplines engaged in Troia. This volume contains most of the contributions presented at the symposium.

The Quaternary, which spans approximately the last 2 million years, is characterized by dramatic environmental changes, commonly known as the "ice age". During this period, man with his manifold cultures evolved. Attempts at dating these events as accurately as possible have made great progress. The broad spectrum of physical and chemical dating methods, now available for dating human artifacts and Quaternary rocks, is becoming increasingly difficult to grasp. In this book the various chronometric techniques are comprehensively and intelligibly treated. By means of numerous case studies, taken from archaeology and geology, the potential and limitation of these techniques are demonstrated. The book is intended mainly for scientists and students of these fields, but the interested layman may also find its rewarding.

Archäometrie befasst sich mit der Entwicklung und Anwendung naturwissenschaftlicher Methoden und Konzepte zur Lösung archäologischer Fragestellungen. Damit ist sie ein weites Forschungsfeld an der Schnittstelle zwischen Natur- und Geisteswissenschaften. Archäologen, Physiker, Chemiker, Bio- und Geowissenschaftler geben einen Überblick über den heutigen Stand der vielfältigen archäometrischen Ansätze, wobei die einzelnen Beiträge sowohl die Grundlagen behandeln als auch anhand von Fallbeispielen die Anwendungsmöglichkeiten aufzeigen.Die behandelten Themen umfassen Materialanalytik, Datierung, geophysikalische Prospektion, Archäometallurgie, Molekulargenetik, geoarchäologische Umweltrekonstruktion und Kulturentwicklung durch Klimawandel.

In 2002 the multidisciplinary research project "Nasca: development and adaptation of archaeometric techniques for the investigation of cultural history" (Nasca: Entwicklung und Adaption archa..ometrischer Techniken zur Erforschung der Kulturgeschichte) started, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education andResearch(Bundesministerium fu..r Bildung und Forschung, BMBF ) in its priority program "New scientific methods and technologies for the humanities" (Neue Naturwissenschaftliche Methoden und Technologien fu..r die Geisteswissenschaften, NTG). This new project continued and in a certain way fulfilled a lasting goal of the ministry to integrate different branches of scientific activities and to foster the transfer of expertise gained in natural sciences to the humanities and vice versa. Archaeometry, by definition the application of scientific methods in archaeological investigation, has been a major focus of the priority program since its beginnings in 1989.After funding numerous fruitful research projects that developed new archaeometric techniques mostly in bilateral cooperation, an even greater outcome was expected from a more multifaceted approach with the participation of various scientific disciplines around a well-defined, archaeological research topic. Furthermore, it was intended to establish a project outside the traditional research areas in central Europe or the Mediterranean. It was the great merit of the person formerly in charge of the BMBF priority program, Dr. Edgar Pusch, to develop these far-reaching perspectives and we are extremely grateful that after a rigorous screening our project among other interesting ones was selected for funding.

When reconstructing the past, the archaeologist needs to take into account all kinds of relevant information. Where no written evidence is available, the natural sciences play an indispensable role. Troia is a remarkable site in this respect. The present Troia project, under the directorship of Manfred Korfmann, integrates various disciplines including geoarchaeology, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, anthropology, geophysical prospection as well as chemical and technological studies of metal, stone and pottery. Hardly any other archaeological project is supported so intensely and on such a broad scale by archaeometric investigations as the international research group in Troia. In April 2001 an International Symposium was held in Heidelberg, Germany, with the aim of promoting scientific interaction and providing synopses of the various disciplines engaged in Troia. This volume contains most of the contributions presented at the symposium.

The Quaternary, which spans approximately the last 2 million years, is characterized by dramatic environmental changes, commonly known as the "ice age". During this period, man with his manifold cultures evolved. Attempts at dating these events as accurately as possible have made great progress. The broad spectrum of physical and chemical dating methods, now available for dating human artifacts and Quaternary rocks, is becoming increasingly difficult to grasp. In this book the various chronometric techniques are comprehensively and intelligibly treated. By means of numerous case studies, taken from archaeology and geology, the potential and limitation of these techniques are demonstrated. The book is intended mainly for scientists and students of these fields, but the interested layman may also find its rewarding.