Farcas Iulia Alexandra, Dippong Thomas, Petean Ioan, Moldovan Marioara, Filip Miuta Rafila, Ciotlaus Irina, Tudoran Lucian Barbu, Borodi Gheorghe, Paltinean Gertrud Alexandra, Pripon Emanoil, Bunea Claudiu Ioan
Faculty of Horticulture and Rural Business Development, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5Manastur Str., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Faculty of Science, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 76 Victoriei Street, 430122 Baia Mare, Romania.
Materials (Basel). 2023 Mar 26;16(7):2628. doi: 10.3390/ma16072628.
Methods for material investigation are powerful tools that allow specialists to elucidate important aspects regarding ancient artifacts such as the Roman amphorae deposits discovered at Potaissa Fortress in Turda, Romania. Archeological debate states that the deposit contained olive oil and wine amphorae, but no material evidence has been presented until now. The current research is focused on the most representative large amphora fragments found in the Potaissa deposit, with a significant amount of sediment on their walls, to give archeologists the material proof to elucidate their debate. Sediment was collected from each fragment and subjected to complex analysis. XRD investigation combined with cross-polarized light microscopy demonstrated mineral particles such as quartz, clay (muscovite and traces of biotite), and calcite. Quartz and calcite particles have a rounded shape and diameters in a range of 20-200 µm, and clay particles have a lamellar shape and dimensions from 1 to 20 µm, a fact confirmed by SEM microscopy. Sample 2 presented a large amount of amorphous phase followed by Samples 1 and 3, with a low amount of organic phase. FTIR investigation confirms organic phase presence owing to strong absorption bands regarding C-H, C=O, and O-H chemical bonds related to aliphatic compounds in Sample 2, and to some decayed wine residue in Samples 1 and 3. EDS elemental analysis was used for organic particle identification in the amphora sediments and to obtain a correlation with their microstructure. GC-MS investigation showed volatile compounds related to wine residue for Samples 1 and 3 and decomposed fats for Sample 2. Tartaric and malic acid were identified by HPLC in Samples 1 and 3, which are wine biomarkers. The correlation of all experimental results concludes with no doubt that Amphora 2 contained olive oil and Amphorae 1 and 3 contained wine in ancient times.
材料调查方法是强大的工具，可让专家阐明有关古代文物的重要方面，例如在罗马尼亚图尔达的波泰萨堡垒发现的罗马双耳细颈椭圆土罐沉积物。考古学界的争论表明，该沉积物中包含橄榄油和葡萄酒双耳细颈椭圆土罐，但迄今为止尚未提供实物证据。当前的研究集中在波泰萨沉积物中发现的最具代表性的大型双耳细颈椭圆土罐碎片上，这些碎片壁上有大量沉积物，旨在为考古学家提供实物证据以阐明他们的争论。从每个碎片上收集沉积物并进行复杂分析。X射线衍射（XRD）研究结合交叉偏振光显微镜显示出矿物颗粒，如石英、粘土（白云母和微量黑云母）和方解石。石英和方解石颗粒呈圆形，直径在20-200微米范围内，粘土颗粒呈层状，尺寸为1至20微米，扫描电子显微镜（SEM）证实了这一事实。样品2呈现出大量非晶相，其次是样品1和3，有机相含量较低。傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）研究证实了有机相的存在，这是由于样品2中与脂肪族化合物相关的C-H、C=O和O-H化学键有很强的吸收带，以及样品1和3中有一些腐烂的葡萄酒残渣。能量色散X射线光谱（EDS）元素分析用于鉴定双耳细颈椭圆土罐沉积物中的有机颗粒，并将其与微观结构进行关联。气相色谱-质谱联用（GC-MS）研究表明，样品1和3中有与葡萄酒残渣相关的挥发性化合物，样品2中有分解的脂肪。通过高效液相色谱（HPLC）在样品1和3中鉴定出酒石酸和苹果酸，它们是葡萄酒的生物标志物。所有实验结果的相关性毫无疑问地得出结论：在古代，双耳细颈椭圆土罐2装有橄榄油，双耳细颈椭圆土罐1和3装有葡萄酒。
