Martinón-Torres, M;
Thomas, N;
Rehren, T;
Mongiatti, A;
(2008)
Some problems and potentials of the study of cupellation remains: the case of post-medieval Montbeliard.
ArcheoSciences: Revue d'Archeometrie
, 32
pp. 59-70.
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Torres_Rehren_93669_archeosciences-948-32-some-problems-and-potentials-of-the-study-of-cupellation-remains-the-case-of-post-medieval-montbeliard-france.pdf - Published Version Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Bone-ash cupels are increasingly identified in medieval and later archaeological contexts related to the refining of noble metals in alchemy, assaying, jewellery or coin minting. These small finds may provide information on metal refining activities, the technical knowledge of different craftspeople, and the versatility of laboratory practices, which often differed from the standard protocols recorded in metallurgical treatises. This paper is centred around a late 16th-early 17th century cupel excavated in Montbéliard, France. The analytical study by optical microscopy, ED-XRF and SEM-EDS allows the cupel to be ascribed to the assaying of the silver content of an ore sample, which is supported by local historical and geological information. The manufacture of the cupel, made of a mixture of wood ash and bone ash, is also addressed, as well as the limited technical efficiency of the operation. This leads to a wider discussion of different recipes for the manufacture of cupels, documented historically and archaeologically, and involving the combination of various raw materials such as bone, wood ashes and clay. This variability raises interesting questions about the existence of diverse technical traditions, and the material properties and performance of different cupels in their specific contexts. In order to facilitate comparisons, we propose that the study of cupellation remains is most informative when it combines microscopy and microanalysis. The role of experimental approaches to these questions is also discussed.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Some problems and potentials of the study of cupellation remains: the case of post-medieval Montbeliard |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Publisher version: | http://archeosciences.revues.org/948 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | With permission of ArcheoSciences: Revue d'Archeometrie. |
| Keywords: | Assaying, bone ash, cupellation, ore, performance characteristics, silver |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Institute of Archaeology UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Institute of Archaeology > Institute of Archaeology Gordon Square |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/93669 |
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