New method solves old mystery: Hafnium isotopes clinch origin of high-quality Roman glass

EurekAlert! ^ | July 9, 2020 | Aarhus University

[SunkenCiv]

An international team of researchers have found a way to determine the origin of colourless glass from the Roman period. Using isotopes of the rare element hafnium, they confirm that the prestigious 'Alexandrian' glass was indeed made in Egypt...

The Roman glass industry was prolific, producing wares for drinking and dining, window panes and coloured glass 'stones' for wall mosaics. One of its outstanding achievements was the production of large quantities of a colourless and clear glass, which was particularly favoured for high-quality cut drinking vessels. The fourth-century Price Edict of the emperor Diocletian refers to colourless glass as 'Alexandrian', indicating an origin in Egypt. However, large amounts of Roman glass are known to have been made in Palestine, where archaeologists have uncovered furnaces for colourless glass production. Such furnaces have not been uncovered in Egypt, and hitherto, it has been very challenging to scientifically tell the difference between glass made in the two regions...

"Hafnium isotopes have proved to be an important tracer for the origins of sedimentary deposits in geology, so I expected this isotope system to fingerprint the sands used in glassmaking", states Gry Barfod. Professor at Aarhus University Charles Lesher, co-author of the publication, continues: "The fact that this expectation is borne out by the measurements is a testament of the intimate link between archaeology and geology."

Hafnium isotopes have not previously been used by archaeologists to look at the trade in ancient man-made materials such as ceramics and glass. Co-author Professor Ian Freestone, University College London, comments, "These exciting results clearly show the potential of hafnium isotopes in elucidating the origins of early materials. I predict they will become an important part of the scientific toolkit used in our investigation of the ancient economy."

[SunkenCiv]

https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3766538/posts

[bunkerhill7]

Caesar,seeing that Cleopatra had expired, immediately found the vile serpent still upon her breast, grasped the evil Dragon by its venomous neck and cast it forth out the window into the darkness,immediately exclaiming to all present, “I am gonna kick your stinkin’ asp into the next county ! “
- Pseudulous Maximus: “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum”

[Red Badger]

Nothing like a few million barbarian looters to ruin a civilization.

Like Antifa, BLM and DACAs.......................

[Candor7]

Thats radical. The legends about Sodom and Gomorrah as nuclear attack may bear scrutiny.

Melting stone is another order of nuclear fission, though , beyond sand turned to obsidian glass. Rather than a flash its would be a prolonged focused nuclear generated heat?

Another photo angle, the puddling is narrower at the top and wider at the bottom, as if there was a ray of energy involved:

"Another mystery of the Dendera temple is the melted stairs. They lead up to the temple roof. These stone steps appear to be melted. And it is hard to imagine what could have melted solid stone steps at the time of the building."

Interesting to do some forensic geometry to see the direction in which the angle of attack leads,The vault of the sky or nearer the horizon?

Dendera Temple the Home of Many Ancient Mysteries