NAA for pre-Hispanic ceramics and

related projects of the IAEA

Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) and regional Technical Cooperation projects for cultural heritage and archaeological investigations

• Role of the International Atomic Energy Agency

• Previous activities

• Ongoing projects

• Outlook

IAEA at a Glance — 2004

Founded in 1957

137 Member States

2200 professional and support staff

3 scientific laboratories

Headquarters in Vienna; offices in Tokyo, Toronto, Geneva and New York

Total Budget in 2004: $397 million

IAEA at Work / Iraq / Hot spots / Safety / Security / Technology

IAEA At Work

Maximizing the contribution of nuclear technology: Verifying its peaceful use

Safeguards & Verification Safety & Security Science & Technology

IAEA at Work / Iraq / Hot spots / Safety / Security / Technology

Ensuring Safety of Nuclear Technologies

442 nuclear plants in 30 countries

Thousands of uses of radioactive materials in: – Industry– Medicine– Agriculture– Mineral exploration

IAEA at Work / Iraq / Hot spots / Safety / Security / Technology

Technical Co-operation: Addresses key problems in developing nations

Contaminated drinking water

Diseases: TB, AIDS, Malaria, Cancer and Sleeping Sickness

Malnutrition and food scarcity

Environmental management

Preservation of cultural heritage etc.

IAEA at Work / Iraq / Hot spots / Safety / Security / Technology

Science and Technology for Development

Better Water Management: Isotope Hydrology

Controlling Insect Pests: Sterile Insect Technique

Ensuring Food Safety:Irradiation

Managing Nature: Isotope Techniques

Treating Cancer: Radiotherapy

Diagnosing Diseases: Nuclear Medicine

Industrial Development: Radiation and Tracer Techniques

Research: Nuclear Data, CRPs, Meetings, Conferences, Expert Services, etc….

IAEA at Work / Iraq / Hot spots / Safety / Security / Technology

IAEA — Budget

$269 million Regular Budget

Extra budgetary contributions of $38 million

Nuclear Security Fund: $11 million

$79 million to the TC programme

Regular

TC

EBFTotal in 2004: US $397.4 million

IAEA at Work / Iraq / Hot spots / Safety / Security / Technology

IAEA at Work / Iraq / Hot spots / Safety / Security / Technology

CRP on “ Nuclear Analytical Techniques in Archaeological Investigations” (F.2.30.15, 1996-1999)

participants:

seven laboratories from 6 countries in Latin America + one consultant from USA (Smithsonian Institution, Center for Material Research and Education)

objectives:

Promotion of interdisciplinary research

Strengthen the role of NATs in the region

outcome:

synergistic effects in NATs and archaeology

improved data interpretation capabilities

demonstrated competence of NATs for interdisciplinary problem solving

Individual project results

Argentina: extensive trading activities and the exchange of ceramics between two pre-Columbian groups in the north-western part of Argentina.

Brazil, Sao Paulo: Three distinct and very confined clusters of pottery from Amazon populations trading 1000 and 1500 years before present.

Brazil, Belo Horizonte: clear distinction among the pottery types of Uru tradition and the Aratu tradition (1200 AD) from a double ring shaped village.

Chile: very hetererogeneous concentration pattern in pottery of the Aconcagua Culture (900 - 1450 A.D.) in Central Chile.

Cuba: aborigine ceramic production could be distinguished on the bases of concentration pattern. Majolica from colonial Havana could be re-classified as originating from Italy (Liguria) rather than from Spain as originally suggested.

Mexico: Mexico City and Puebla ceramics from Templo Mayor excavations could be separated clearly on the bases of trace element fingerprinting.

Peru: nine distinct groups of pottery were identified from pre-Columbian Inka sherds using multivariate statistical analysis.

• Technical Report Series 416

• PER/8/013   Application of Nuclear Techniques for the Analysis, Conservation and Dating of Archaeological Materials

• SYR/1/004   Nuclear Techniques for Dating Analysis and Preservation of Archaeological Materials

RER/1/006   Nuclear Techniques for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Artefacts in the Mediterranean Region

(2005-2007)

Participants: Albania, Croatia , Cyprus , Greece(?), Malta, Serbia and Montenegro, Turkey

Objectives: > study, restoration and conservation of cultural heritage

> enhance the cooperation between the existing laboratories

> promote the role of nuclear analytical techniques in archaeometry

Activities: > 1st co-ordination meeting 07-09 February 2005 at VIC, Vienna

> Expert missions, fellowships and group activities

> Establish a network between the laboratories

> Training of staff in using NATs for archaeological investigations

> Cooperation with COST-8 and ARTECH network would greatly enhance impact and sustainability

F2.30.23: New CRP on ‘NATs for art object identification’

2005-2008

Participants: Brazil, China, Croatia, Cuba, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Syria,

1st RCM: 21-25 February 2005 in Damascus, SyriaObjectives: • Explore new fields of application for NATs• Foster collaboration between museum conservators and analytical researchers • NATs for conservation and recovery of national heritage

Techniques and study materials covered:

Analytical Techniques:NAA, PGNAA, XRF (stationary and portable), PIXE, IBA, and conventional methods

Study areas: Marajoara, Lagartero Chiapas, and other pottery Pigments of paintings Tang Sancai porcelain Ghanaian gold and metal artefacts Neolithic stone artefacts Ceramics and coins Peruvian textiles Bronze age metallic artefacts Medieval glass ware

Future plans:

• Enhance human capacity for cultural heritage preservation and investigation

• Support laboratories to acquire technical capabilities for archaeological investigations

• Establish regional networking for exchange of expertise and mutual use of resources

• To promote the use of nuclear techniques for provenance studies, age determination and authenticity verification

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