Premium
New Data on the Soda Flux Used in the Production of I znik Glazes and B yzantine Glasses
Author(s) -
Tite M. S.,
Shortland A. J.,
Schibille N.,
Degryse P.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
archaeometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-4754
pISSN - 0003-813X
DOI - 10.1111/arcm.12156
Subject(s) - boron , mineralogy , flux (metallurgy) , borax , materials science , potash , lithium (medication) , mineral , metallurgy , geology , potassium , chemistry , medicine , raw material , organic chemistry , endocrinology
Previous research has shown that I znik glazes are characterized by low potash and magnesia contents. It was therefore suggested that the flux used was either a purified plant ash or some unidentified mineral source of soda. More recently, as a result of the detection of small, but significant, amounts of boron and lithium in B yzantine glasses from western T urkey, which also exhibit low potash and magnesia contents, it has been suggested that the source of the flux used was a soda‐rich evaporite associated in some way with the extensive borax deposits in the region. LA–ICP–MS has been used to establish that I znik glazes also contain similarly small amounts of boron and lithium. The Na/K, Na/Mg, Na/Ca and Na/B ratios for these I znik glazes are shown to be comparable to the equivalent ratios calculated from published data for waters from a range of Na–HCO 3 type hot springs in western Turkey, with the closest match being to the hot springs around A fyon‐ G azligöl, which is consistent with documentary evidence. It is therefore proposed that the soda‐rich salts produced by evaporating water from these springs to dryness would have provided the flux required for the production of I znik glazes and high‐boron Byzantine glasses.