The Elemental Analysis of Glass Beads: Technology, Chronology and Exchange

Ancient glass beads are studied by modern archaeologists to trace bead usage through time and across regions. This book publishes open-access compositional data obtained from laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry, providing a comparative data set. The contributors provide new insight into the timing of interregional interactions, technologies of bead production, and patterns of trade and exchange.

Format: Hardback
Length: 392 pages
Publication date: 03 October 2022
Publisher: Leuven University Press

Ancient glass beads, captivating in their beauty and portability, have been crafted and exchanged across the globe for countless centuries. In the realm of modern archaeology, these invaluable artifacts are studied through sophisticated methods that analyze the composition of the glass, offering valuable insights into their usage throughout history and across different regions. This book presents open-access compositional data obtained through laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry, sourced from a single analytical laboratory. This unique data set provides a comprehensive comparative analysis, encompassing studies of glass beads produced in Europe and widely traded across North America, as well as beads originating from South and Southeast Asia, which were exchanged throughout the Indian Ocean and beyond.

The contributors to this volume offer fresh perspectives on the timing of interregional interactions, the technologies employed in bead production, and the patterns of trade and exchange. By utilizing glass beads as a window into the past, they shed light on the rich tapestry of human civilization. This volume serves as a valuable resource for glass researchers, archaeologists, and scholars engaged in the study of material culture and exchange. It presents a diverse range of case studies, highlighting the investigation and interpretation of glass bead composition, production, and exchange since ancient times.

The contributors to this volume are esteemed experts in their respective fields. Bernard Gratuze, from the Institut de Recherche sur les ArchéoMATériaux, Centre Ernest-Babelon, UMR 5060 CNRS/Université d Orléans, leads the way, followed by Alicia L. Hawkins from the University of Toronto Mississauga, Elliot H. Blair from the University of Alabama, Jessica Dalton-Carriger from Roane State Community College, Lee M. Panich from Santa Clara University, Thomas R. Fenn from The University of Oklahoma, Alison K. Carter from the University of Oregon, Jennifer Craig from McGill University, Mark Aldenderfer from the University of California, Merced, Mudit Trivedi from Stanford University, and Lindsey Trombetta from The Univ.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789462703384