Lead sheathing of ship hulls in the Roman period: Archaeometallurgical characterisation

Kahanov, Yaacov; Ashkenazi, Dana

doi:10.1016/J.MATCHAR.2011.05.004

Title: Lead sheathing of ship hulls in the Roman period: Archaeometallurgical characterisation

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Abstract

An archaeometallurgical analysis of samples of lead sheathing from five ships of the Roman period was carried out in order to determine their composition and microstructure, and to obtain a better understanding of their manufacturing processes. The examinations included optical microscopy of metallographic cross-sections, microhardness tests, scanning electron microscopy, including energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that the samples were all composed of lead covered with an oxide layer. The sheet thicknesses, microhardness values and microhardness distribution, as well as the grain size distribution, led to the conclusion that all of the sheets were produced by the same technology, using hammering, and were probably used for the same purpose. The presence of antimony was observed in the sample from the Roman ship from Caesarea, which may hint at an Italian (Sardinian) origin of the material, and perhaps of the ship. - Research Highlights: {yields} During the Roman period ship hulls were sheathed with lead. {yields} Five samples have been analysed for their characteristics and manufacturing process. {yields} The process was cold-working (strain-hardening) using hammering. {yields} The lead was open-casted on a flat stone, and later hammered at room temperature. {yields} Antimony in the Caesarea shipwreck maymore »« less

Authors:

Kahanov, Yaacov ^[1]; Ashkenazi, Dana ^[2]

Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905 (Israel)
Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978 (Israel)

Publication Date:: Mon Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011

OSTI Identifier:: 22066385

Resource Type:: Journal Article

Journal Name:: Materials Characterization

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 62; Journal Issue: 8; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1044-5803

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; ANTIMONY; ARCHAEOLOGICAL SPECIMENS; CANNING; COLD WORKING; GRAIN SIZE; LEAD; METALLOGRAPHY; MICROHARDNESS; OPTICAL MICROSCOPY; OXIDES; SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; SHIPS; STRAIN HARDENING; TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K; X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY

Citation Formats


                    Kahanov, Yaacov, and Ashkenazi, Dana. Lead sheathing of ship hulls in the Roman period: Archaeometallurgical characterisation.  United States: N. p., 2011. 
        Web.  doi:10.1016/J.MATCHAR.2011.05.004.

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                    Kahanov, Yaacov, & Ashkenazi, Dana. Lead sheathing of ship hulls in the Roman period: Archaeometallurgical characterisation.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATCHAR.2011.05.004

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                    Kahanov, Yaacov, and Ashkenazi, Dana. 2011.  
        "Lead sheathing of ship hulls in the Roman period: Archaeometallurgical characterisation".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATCHAR.2011.05.004.

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@article{osti_22066385,

  title        = {Lead sheathing of ship hulls in the Roman period: Archaeometallurgical characterisation},

  author       = {Kahanov, Yaacov and Ashkenazi, Dana},

  abstractNote = {An archaeometallurgical analysis of samples of lead sheathing from five ships of the Roman period was carried out in order to determine their composition and microstructure, and to obtain a better understanding of their manufacturing processes. The examinations included optical microscopy of metallographic cross-sections, microhardness tests, scanning electron microscopy, including energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that the samples were all composed of lead covered with an oxide layer. The sheet thicknesses, microhardness values and microhardness distribution, as well as the grain size distribution, led to the conclusion that all of the sheets were produced by the same technology, using hammering, and were probably used for the same purpose. The presence of antimony was observed in the sample from the Roman ship from Caesarea, which may hint at an Italian (Sardinian) origin of the material, and perhaps of the ship. - Research Highlights: {yields} During the Roman period ship hulls were sheathed with lead. {yields} Five samples have been analysed for their characteristics and manufacturing process. {yields} The process was cold-working (strain-hardening) using hammering. {yields} The lead was open-casted on a flat stone, and later hammered at room temperature. {yields} Antimony in the Caesarea shipwreck may indicate an Italian origin of construction.},

  doi          = {10.1016/J.MATCHAR.2011.05.004},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22066385},
  journal      = {Materials Characterization},

  issn         = {1044-5803},

  number       = 8,

  volume       = 62,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011},

  month        = {Mon Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2011}

}

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