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Detection of amorphous alumino‐silicate by X‐ray diffraction and chemical analysis to detect firing in archaeological sediments
Author(s) -
Singh Balwant,
O'Connor Sue,
Veth Peter,
Gilkes Robert
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
archaeology in oceania
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1834-4453
pISSN - 0728-4896
DOI - 10.1002/j.1834-4453.1991.tb00245.x
Subject(s) - hearth , silicate , amorphous solid , pleistocene , aluminosilicate , geology , mineralogy , cave , mineral , archaeology , silicate minerals , holocene , materials science , chemistry , metallurgy , paleontology , geography , crystallography , biochemistry , organic chemistry , catalysis
Fire modifies sediments and soil by converting some crystalline clay minerals to amorphous alumino‐silicate minerals that can be determined using a combination of X‐ray diffraction and chemical analysis procedures. Recognition of these materials provides a test for occupation that is independent of, and complementary to, criteria based on the occurrence of cultural or magnetic properties of sediments. This novel procedure has been evaluated for artificial mineral mixtures heated in simulated hearth fires and for Pleistocene and Holocene sediments from caves in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia. An index based on amorphous Al in the samples has been developed to separate heated and unheated samples.