ARCHAEOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS OF INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETRY

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry is a relatively new analytical technique increasingly used in the Earth Sciences in the last decade, and in "consumer" fields such as archaeology in the last few years. For archaeologists, ICP-MS has several important advantages over neutron activation and x-ray fluorescence analysis: 1) only a tiny powdered sample is required, and the technique is thus minimally destructive to valuable artifacts; 2) the large number of elements that can be accurately and precisely analyzed is particularly important for characterization and provenience studies; 3) semi-quantitative isotope ratio measurements are possible without extensive sample preparation; and 4) the combination of small sample size and low per-sample cost allows assemblages of artifacts rather than individual objects to be studied. These advantages will be illustrated by the trace element characterization and source tracing of obsidian; the compositional analysis of copper-based artifacts; and the lead isotope ratio analysis of turquoise.