Research Information System
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES, vol.17, no.12, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, AHCI, SSCI, Scopus)
This study investigates copper ores from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPN) site of Gre F & imath;lla, Turkey, employing a multi-analytical approach to understand the challenges in characterizing altered archaeological materials. The chemical and mineralogical properties of seven copper ore fragments and the effects of burial alteration were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy SEM-EDS, handheld portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF), and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) to reconstruct their original composition. Results revealed a diverse assemblage of copper minerals, including copper oxides, sulphides, and mixed phases. Element maps visualized the distribution of Cu, Si, Ca, Al, and O, and SEM imaging revealed the micro-structural features of the matrix, including evidence of malachite dissolution and secondary patina formation. The patina of the samples is characterized by elevated Cu content, with XRD identifying malachite (Cu2CO3(OH)(2)), quartz (SiO2), calcite (CaCO3), and magnetite (Fe3O4) among secondary phases. The diversity of copper minerals identified suggests that the inhabitants recognized and engaged with materials of different properties.