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MATERIALS OF CONQUEST: A STUDY USING PORTABLE X-RAY FLUORESCENCE SPECTROMETRY IN THE METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF TWO SIXTEENTH-CENTURY SPANISH EXPEDITIONS

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Date Issued:
2013
Abstract/Description:
This study traced metallic materials recovered from a number of 16th-century Spanish archaeological sites across the southeastern United States using handheld portable X-Ray fluorescence (pXRF) technology. Artifacts recovered from the Hernando de Soto winter encampment site (Martin site), and the Tristan de Luna colonization fleet shipwrecks (Emanuel Point shipwrecks), and European artifacts of unknown origin from Native American archaeological sites were tested using an Olympus Innov-X pXRF analyzer. Through the use of basic mathematical analysis, iron and copper alloy artifacts evaluated using standard deviation and Euclidean distance scoring techniques resulting in a basic chemical comparison. Findings were not able to conclusively tie particular artifacts to specific expeditions, but similarities in whole sample sets were found, leading to interesting conclusions and potential for further analysis.
Title: MATERIALS OF CONQUEST: A STUDY USING PORTABLE X-RAY FLUORESCENCE SPECTROMETRY IN THE METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF TWO SIXTEENTH-CENTURY SPANISH EXPEDITIONS.
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Name(s): Linden, Sarah Elizabeth, Author
Worth, John E., Committee Chair
Mitchell-Cook, Amy, Committee Member
Bratten, John R., Committee Member
University of West Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2013
Publisher: University of West Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: This study traced metallic materials recovered from a number of 16th-century Spanish archaeological sites across the southeastern United States using handheld portable X-Ray fluorescence (pXRF) technology. Artifacts recovered from the Hernando de Soto winter encampment site (Martin site), and the Tristan de Luna colonization fleet shipwrecks (Emanuel Point shipwrecks), and European artifacts of unknown origin from Native American archaeological sites were tested using an Olympus Innov-X pXRF analyzer. Through the use of basic mathematical analysis, iron and copper alloy artifacts evaluated using standard deviation and Euclidean distance scoring techniques resulting in a basic chemical comparison. Findings were not able to conclusively tie particular artifacts to specific expeditions, but similarities in whole sample sets were found, leading to interesting conclusions and potential for further analysis.
Identifier: WFE0000425 (IID), uwf:61167 (fedora)
Note(s): 2013-12-01
M.A.
Department of Anthropology
Masters
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/uwf/fd/WFE0000425
Restrictions on Access: public
Host Institution: UWF

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