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Microstructural and Analytical Study of Uncommon Corrosion Features on Archaeological Cu-As Alloys from Tappeh Graziani in Southeastern Iran

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2022

Mohammad Mortazavi Open the ORCID record for Mohammad Mortazavi [Opens in a new window] ,
Hosseinali Kavosh Open the ORCID record for Hosseinali Kavosh [Opens in a new window] ,
Sogand Naghavi  and
Reza Khanjari
Mohammad Mortazavi
Affiliation:
Faculty of Conservation and Restoration, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
Hosseinali Kavosh*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
Sogand Naghavi
Affiliation:
Department of conservation and restoration of historical artifacts, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
Reza Khanjari
Affiliation:
Department of conservation and restoration of historical artifacts, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran
*
*Corresponding author: Hosseinali Kavosh, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The morphology and composition of the corrosion products of archaeological arsenical copper alloys buried in a specific environment for a long time were investigated using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The analyses demonstrated that the alloy composition of the artifacts was copper-arsenic (Cu-AS) with significant amounts of lead in some samples. Cuprite, malachite, and copper (II) hydroxychlorides were observed on a completely mineralized matrix. The surface of the objects was covered by two main corrosion layers formed on the internal cuprous oxide. However, several successive layers of corrosion products were recognized on the artifacts in some cases. Furthermore, phosphatic corrosion products including, mimetite [Pb5(AsO4)3Cl], and pyromorphite [Pb5(PO4)3Cl] were identified. Conichalcite [CaCu(AsO4)](OH), which grew in the form of Liesegang rings, was also identified as a corrosion product of one of the objects. As and Pb exhibited some enrichment in the corrosion crusts of the artifacts. Environmental changes in burial conditions, particularly due to seasonal streams and consequent changes in soil corrosivity, vicinity of objects to bone material, along with the migration of alloy elements, especially lead and arsenic, can explain the morphological features of these archaeological objects.

Keywords

archaeological Cu-As alloyscorrosionmicroscopySEM-EDSTappeh Gerziani
Type
Materials Science Applications
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 28 , Issue 2 , April 2022 , pp. 302 - 316
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Microscopy Society of America

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