Elemental analysis of archaeological ochre: method and possibilities of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (based on materials of Neolithic and Aeneolithic sites of the Middle Trans-Urals and Western Siberia)

• Published in: VESTNIK ARHEOLOGII ANTROPOLOGII I ETNOGRAFII
• Main Authors: Iudina E.A., Tonkushina M.O., Kulesh N.A., Ostroushko A.A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Russian
• Published: Tyumen Scientific Centre SB RA 2016
• Subjects: oxide ochre; natural mineral pigments; Neolithic Age; Aeneolithic Age; Western Siberia; Middle Trans-Urals; elemental analysis; XRF spectroscopy; Archaeology; CC1-960; Ochre; taiga; Siberia
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.20874/2071-0437-2016-34-3-021-034; https://doaj.org/article/9ecd524160a9439dab9f36a5f7166fa3

The article is dedicated to methodological aspects of the elemental analysis (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy) of a natural mineral pigment — ochre. We chose oxide ochre obtained from the Neolithic and Aeneolithic sites of the taiga zone of Western Siberia and the Middle Urals (the end of VI — III millennium BC) as a source base. The questions of selection and preparation of archaeological samples, and of interpretive capabilities of the chosen approach are discussed in the article.