Examination of interactions between ferrous metals and the archaeological burial environment at a seventeenth-century plantation site

• Main Author: Mathias, Cathy
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 1998
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/9156/; https://research.library.mun.ca/9156/1/Mathias_Cathy.pdf

Few data exist on the burial environment condition and its affect on archaeological artifacts. Dowman (1970) introduced the need for archaeologists to incorporate the conservation of artifacts and analysis of soils into their field work. Fortunately the need for field conservation has been accepted by most institutes supporting archaeological research. Unfortunately extensive soil analysis has not been generally accepted as a means to understand better what has occurred to the buried artifact over time. The past few decades have seen Canadian and international archaeological sites excavated without soil data to aid the conservator in the stabilization of artifacts. During the years since Dowman's publication both archaeology and conservation methods have changed as technology advances and our understanding of past material culture grows. However our understanding of the burial environment has not grown at the same pace. Because of this void in data pertaining to the burial environment it is important that a concise survey of the techniques used for soil analyses be assessed. This thesis, in part, provides a guide to methods and techniques which can be used for assessment of burial conditions. -- This thesis focuses on a seventeenth-century plantation site located at Ferryland, Newfoundland. This investigation centres on gaining a better understanding of the interaction between ferrous metals and the archaeological burial environment, whether or not predictions of iron condition can be made based on soil analyses alone and evaluating the methods and techniques used to characterize the soils and iron. -- Analyses of soil samples involved chemical analysis by XRF, ICP-MS, soil solution ion activity by pH and conductivity meters. Corrosion rates were measured using a potentiostat, identification of mineralogy was performed using XRD, particle sizes were estimated by sieving, organic content was measured by weight loss after digestion and soil colour was evaluated using a Munsell colour chart. Iron preservation was ...