Abstract text (incl. figure legends and references)

Introduction:

Modern nano analysis can affectively help understand the material culture in the past societies by analyzing the excavated artefacts. In the recent past, increasingly sophisticated analytical methods have been used to study ancient artefacts to test various hypotheses related to the material aspects of these artefacts. In this research work advanced material analysis methods have been utilized to investigate the medieval age artefacts from East Baltic regions and Eastern Europe using nano analytical technique such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Objectives

The objective of this research work is to test the hypotheses of possible immigration of population from East Baltic regions to Ostriv (present day Ukraine). Strong similarities between the physical attributes of the excavated artefacts from the two regions led to believe of a possible connection between the two regions. To explore this possible connection between the regions, laboratory analysis of the artefacts was planned to compare the production mechanism of the artefacts found in East Baltic regions and Ostriv.

Materials and Methods:

Two sets of samples belonging to the 11-12th century copper alloys were used such as fibulas, penannular brooches and flat ladder brooches. The first set of items was found in a cemetery by a group of Ukrainian scientists in Ostriv (Ukraine) within the skeletal graves. The other set of samples was received from Berlin Museum for Pre- and Early History that belonged to the East Baltic regions. The ornaments were studied by means of Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) Spectroscopy in a Jeol JEM-2100 equipped with an EDX detector (Si/Li, EDAX). The analysis was performed on lamellae prepared from the surface of the ornaments into a depth of ca. 10 µm via Focused Ion Beam (FIB). EDX point measurements and elemental maps were performed in STEM mode.

Results:

The EDX analysis showed the presence of brass in the artefacts from Ostriv, however, the artefacts from East Baltic regions consisted of pure copper, brass and bronze. Additional surface limited signals from carbon, iron, lead, chlorides, sulphates, oxides and phosphates were also observed. TEM-EDX on the FIB lamellae showed Cu and Zn as the major constituents with traces of organic compounds and oxidation possibly as a result of secondary alteration. Astonishingly, the same physical features in the artefacts from East Baltic and Ostriv regions do not translate into same production mechanisms. The zinc content in the artefacts is also varying in the brass ornaments found in Ostriv cemetery.

Conclusion:

The advanced methodology for analyzing the archaeological artefacts is shown in this study. The study demonstrated the comparison of chemical compositions between the medieval age brass ornaments from East Baltic and Ostriv regions. The authors further demonstrate the modification of surface and subsurface of the archaeological artefacts, that are buried under the soil for thousands of years. The similar physical features but different elemental composition could suggest the transfer of technology through the population that migrated from East Baltic regions to Ostriv. Material composition of archaeological artefacts served as an important identifier to unearth technology exchange and network between medieval Baltic population.