title: Influence of archaeological environment factors in alteration processes of copper alloy artifacts.
abstract: The article presents the experimental results obtained by combining noninvasive techniques (OM, SEM/EDX, XRF) to analyze three artifacts made of copper alloys discovered in a inhumation tomb (2) and in the soil profile (1) in archaeological sites from Neamt County Romania. To uncover the mechanism of alteration thereof during their longtime underground stay in specific chemical conditions and under the influence of other pedological factors, the corrosion products must be identified. The excess of the chloride ion, from burial site, disturbs the Liesegang effect, transforming the bulk in a stratified sponge structure with chlorapatite and hydroxyapatite. Some of the compounds from primary and secondary patina can be found on the surface of the bulk, as color stains. The presence of alloy components (Cu, Sn, Pb, Zn, Fe, etc.) and of the underground contamination components, allowed us to establish the origin of the ore, the manufacture technology and we identified other materials which affected the artifacts after abandonment.
authors.affiliation: Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Blvd. D. Mangeron 71, 700050 Iasi, Romania.
authors.forename: Ioan Gabriel
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Sandu
authors.forename: Otilia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mircea
authors.forename: Viorica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vasilache
authors.forename: Ion
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sandu