Technical Study of a set of Metallic Artifacts from the Maya Site of Lagartero, Chiapas, Mexico

Autor: Gabriela Peñuelas Guerrero, Patricia Ruiz Portilla, Jesús Arenas, Pilar Tapia López, Jannen Contreras Vargas, Sonia Rivero Torres, José Luis Ruvalcaba Sil, Aurore Lemoine, Ingrid Karina Jiménez Cosme
Rok vydání: 2012
Předmět:
Zdroj: MRS Proceedings. 1374:125-135
ISSN: 1946-4274
0272-9172
DOI: 10.1557/opl.2012.1383
Popis: During the excavations made at a burial of the post-Classic Mayan period (1220-1521 A.D.) in the pyramid number 2 of the pre-Hispanic site of Lagartero, Chiapas, Mexico, a set of four small metallic artifacts depicting reptile’s heads, were recovered. The objects were in poor conservation conditions and were taken to the Metal Conservation Laboratory of the National School of Conservation (ENCRyM- INAH) for suitable cleaning and conservation treatments.Analyses allowed identifying important technological features such as gilding remains. The analytical techniques included optical microscopy followed by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF), and Scanning Electron Microscope-coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (MEB-EDS). For the elemental depth profile a combined Particle X-Ray Emission Spectroscopy and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (PIXE–RBS) analysis was carried out.The results indicate that the objects are made of a copper alloy, and then gilded probably using electrochemical replacement gilding (thickness has less than 1 μm). This technology has been observed in other metallic objects recovered from the Chichen-Itza Cenote in Yucatan, but it was not available in Mesoamerican areas so far. So, it could imply that these artifacts might have been imported from South American areas.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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