Presentation at the 7th World Archaeological Congress, Dead Sea, Jordan. January 13-18, 2013

1. Preservation and Analysis
of the Perlman/Asaro
Archaeometry Archives
Matthew T. Boulanger1,2
Michael D. Glascock1
1Archaeometry Laboratory, University of Missouri Research Reactor
2Department of Anthropology, University of Missouri
7th World Archaeological Congress
S
The Dead Sea, Jordan • January 13th-18th, 2013

2. NAA Laboratories

3. LBNL
Nuclear
Archaeology
• First-generation NAA lab.
• 1968–1989 (NAA at LBNL)
• est. 10,000+ analyses
• Focus on ceramics from:
• Middle East
• Mediterranean

4. LBNL
Archives
• Sent to MURR in 2006
• Make these data usable by
the broader scientific
community
• Requires
• Digitization
• Preservation and curation
• Distribution
• Archives contain < 50% of
data, > 80% of data located
through collaborators

5. Compatibility of Data

6. Cuneiform Tablets
• “[N] o attempt has been made..to
investigate the source of large numbers of
tablets on the basis of their raw materials.”
(Goren et al. 2011)
• ca. 250 analyzed at LBNL
• Data published for only 30 (12%)
• Perhaps earliest textual evidence for trade,
exchange, and cultural contact in the
Middle East
Sumerian tablet from Tell Telloh (Girsu)
Analyzed by the Berkeley laboratory
Image courtesy of CDLI (http://cdli.ucla.edu)

8. Standards for Archaeometric
Data Preservation
• Digital and paper records
• Standardized metadata structures
• Context and descriptions of specimens
• Details on analytical protocol and methods
• On-line data-sharing portals
• Data-distribution policy
• Sustained commitment and cooperation

9. Acknowledgments
S Drs. F. Asaro, M. Artzy, J. Yellin, R.E. Jones, B. Knapp, and
many others.