Handheld XRF for Art and Archaeology

Applications, possibilities, and limitations of handheld XRF in art conservation and archaeology. Over the last decade the technique of X-ray fluorescence has evolved, from dependence on laboratory-based standalone units to field use of portable and lightweight handheld devices. These portable instruments have given researchers in art conservation and archaeology the opportunity to study a broad range of materials with greater accessibility and flexibility than ever before. In addition, the low relative cost of handheld XRF has led many museums, academic institutions, and cultural centres to invest in the devices for routine materials analysis purposes. Although these instruments often greatly simplify data collection, proper selection of analysis conditions and interpretation of the data still require an understanding of the principles of x-ray spectroscopy. These instruments are often marketed and used as ‘point and shoot' solutions; however, their inexpert use can easily generate deceptive or erroneous results. This volume focuses specifically on the applications, possibilities, and limitations of handheld XRF in art conservation and archaeology. The papers deal with experimental methodologies, protocols, and possibilities of handheld XRF analysis in dealing with the complexity of materials encountered in this research.

This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).

Contributors: J. Aimers (State University of New York), T. Barrett (University of Iowa), A. Bezur (The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston), R. Brill (Corning Museum of Glass), F. Casadio (Art Institute of Chicago), M. Donais (Saint Anselm College), D. Farthing (State University of New York), J. Furgeson (University of Missouri), D. George (Saint Anselm College), B. Kaiser (Bruker Elemental), A. Kaplan (Getty Conservation Institute), J. Lang, (University of Iowa), J. Mass (Winterthur Museum), C. Matsen (Winterthur Museum), C. McGlinchey (Museum of Modern Art), H. Neff (California State University Long Beach), C. Patterson (Getty Conservation Institute), R. Shannon (Bruker-Elemental), A. Shugar (Buffalo State College), J. Sirois (Canadian Conservation Institute), D. Smith (National Gallery of Art), D. Stulik (Getty Conservation Institute), K. Trentelman (Getty Conservation Institute), N. Turner (Getty Conservation Institute), F. Paredes Umaña (University of Pennsylvania), B. Voorhies (University of California), J. Wade (National Science Foundation)

"Handheld XRF for Art and Archaeology" was edited by Aaron N. Shugar and Jennifer L. Mass.

Aaron N. Shugar is an Associate Professor of Art Conservation Science at Buffalo State College, Buffalo, New York and is on the graduate faculty at the University of Toronto.

Jennifer L. Mass is a Senior Scientist in the Scientific Research and Analysis Laboratory in the Conservation Department at Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, Delaware and teaches in the Winterthur/University of Delaware Master's Degree Program in Art Conservation.

Yes, "Handheld XRF for Art and Archaeology" is part of the "Studies in Archaeological Sciences" series. It's book 3 in the series.

Studies in Archaeological Sciences presents state-of-the-art methodological, technical or material science contributions to Archaeological Sciences. The series aims to reconstruct the integrated story of human and material culture through time and testifies to the necessity of inter- and multidisciplinary research in cultural heritage studies. Studies in Archaeological Sciences aims to publish at least one volume a year and accepts monographs as well as coherent edited volumes in English. Contributions should be set up to be a specialist reference work for a broad audience of academic readers. Manuscript should be 80.000 to 120.000 words in length and may include graphs and tables in black and white. All contributions are submitted to international peer review.

Readership

Researchers and graduate students in fields such as Archaeology, Archaeological Sciences, History, Conservation and Cultural Heritage Studies and Museum Sciences.

Editor-in-Chief

Prof. Patrick Degryse, Centre for Archaeological Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium

Editorial Board

Prof. Dennis Braeckmans, Department of Archaeological Sciences, Universiteit Leiden, The Netherlands
Prof. Ian Freestone, Institute of Archaeology, University College London, United Kingdom
Dr. Andrew Meek, Department of Scientific Research, The British Museum
Dr. Andrew Shortland, Centre for Archaeological and Forensic Analysis, Cranfield University, United Kingdom
Prof. Manuel Sintubin, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium

Invitation to future Advisory Board members

Scholars interested to join the Advisory Board of this new series are cordially invited to contact Prof. Patrick Degryse (Editor-in-Chief) or one of the editorial board members.

Proposals

Proposals and inquiries can be sent to to editor-in- chief Patrick Degryse or one of the editorial board members. Please send a preliminary abstract (1-2 pp.) and a short bio. Upon approval of this abstract (average turnaround time of 4 weeks), the full manuscript will be submitted to international peer review. Two peer reviewers will be asked for expert advice, three in case of conflicting reports.

Please make use of the submission form to present your manuscript or proposal to our board.
Authors interested in Open Access can consult the available funding options.

Links & Resources

Table of Contents

List of illustrations

List of tables

Chapter 1
Introduction
Aaron N. Shugar and Jennifer L. Mass

Chapter 2
Handheld X-ray fluorescence analysis of Renaissance bronzes: Practical approaches to quantification and acquisition
Dylan Smith

Chapter 3
Application of a handheld XRF spectrometer in research and identification of photographs
Dusan C. Stulik and Art Kaplan

Chapter 4
Handheld XRF for the examination of paintings: proper use and limitations
Chris McGlinchey

Chapter 5
XRF analysis of manuscript illuminations
K. Trentelman, C. Schmidt Patterson and N. Turner

Chapter 6
XRF analysis of historical paper in open books
Tim Barrett, Robert Shannon, Jennifer Wade and Joseph Lang

Chapter 7
Quantitative non-destructive analysis of historic silver alloys: X-ray fluorescence approaches and challenges
Jennifer Mass and Catherine Matsen

Chapter 8
The analysis of porcelain using handheld and portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometers
Aniko Bezur and Francesca Casadio

Chapter 9
Handheld XRF use in the identification of heavy metal pesticides in ethnographic collections
Aaron N. Shugar and P. Jane Sirois

Chapter 10
Using handheld XRF to aid in phasing, locus comparisons, and material homogeneity assessment at an archaeological excavation
Mary Kate Donais and David George

Chapter 11
Handheld XRF elemental analysis of archaeological sediments: some examples from Mesoamerica
Hector Neff, Barbara Voorhies and Federico Paredes Umana

Chapter 12
X-Ray fluorescence of obsidian: approaches to calibration and the analysis of small samples
Jeffrey R. Ferguson

Chapter 13
Handheld XRF analysis of Maya ceramics: a pilot study presenting issues related to quantification and calibration
Jim J. Aimers, Dori J. Farthing and Aaron N. Shugar

Chapter 14
Glass analysis utilizing handheld X-ray fluorescence
Bruce Kaiser and Aaron Shugar

List of contributors

The editors

The Digital Object Identifier (DOI) for "Handheld XRF for Art and Archaeology" is 10.11116/9789461660695.