Multifaced stone and ceramic moulds from Bronze Age Anatolia : building an analytical protocol of mould properties and behavior during the process of metal casting

A three phase analytical protocol is developed to systematize the study of multifaceted serpentinite bronze-casting moulds from Bronze Age Anatolia (ca. 3500-1700 B.C.). These moulds represent a class of metal processing tools that reflect material properties and perhaps also social concerns in their development and use. In phase I of the protocol, standard serpentinite tiles are heated to known temperatures and the crack density and ineral changes at each temperature are determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis. These results then serve to calibrate the cracking and mineralogical behaviors of serpentinite replica moulds used in controlled casting experiments during phase II. Metallography on several phase II cast objects provides additional information on heat flow through the stone. In phase III, the protocol is modified appropriately for the non-destructive study of four archaeological moulds using x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray fluorescence (XRF), and SEM. The applicability of the protocol to other stone and ceramic materials is discussed.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2005

Author dc:creator

• Biçer, Katherine K. (Katherine Kershen)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Heather Lechtman.

• Materials Science and Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/33398

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/33398