Non-destructive characterization of colored

mineral glazed beads

V. Corregidor(1,2), L. C. Alves(1,2), I. Mendes da Silva(3),
A.L. Sebastião Rodrigues(1), A. P. Gonçalves(1,2), L. Ferreira(1,2),
M. Reis(1,2), P.C. Chaves(1), D. Russo(1,2), R. Marques(1,2)
(1) C2TN, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico,
Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
(2) Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico,
Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
(3) ERA Arqueologia S.A., Calçada de Santa Catarina, 9C, 1495-705 Cruz Quebrada – Dafundo, Portugal

During archaeological excavations on the Old beach of Boa Vista (in Lisbon, Portugal),
which allows to better understand the evolution of Lisbon coast and the trade routes in the
XVII/XVIII centuries, a vessel, called named “Boa Vista 5”, was found, which allows to
better understand the evolution of Lisbon coast and the trade routes in the XVII/XVIII
centuries. A relevant set of adornment elements (glazed beads) of different colors was found
in articulation with the vessel “Boa Vista 5”.
Five representative pieces representative of the beads found, with similar shapes and sizes,
and but with different colors (, from pale orange to dark blue/black), were selected for
chemical and mineralogical characterization aiming to contribute for the establishment of the
beads provenance, and provide clues about the route traced by the vessel. by means of nNon-
destructive techniques were applied in this work:. The non-destructive techniques include
particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE), ionoluminescence, X-ray diffraction, Raman
spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and high energy particle
induced X-ray emission (HE-PIXE). XRD The aim of this study is to contribute for the
establishment of the beads provenance, and provide clues about the route traced by the vessel.
Rresults show that quartz is the main compoundmineral phase. Iron oxides (on dark orange
part of beads 3 and 5) and particularly , with traces of different elements such as Mn (bead 5?)
were observed, depending on the bead (see figure 1). A complete discussion of the results
will be given in this work.

1
Figure 1. HE-PIXE normalized spectra of the selected glazed beads (inset) using a 3.0 MeV
proton beam and a CdTe detector.