INVESTIGADORES
MAIER Marta Silvia
artículos
Título:
Raman spectroscopic analysis of archaeological specimens from the wreck of HMS Swift
Autor/es:
HOWELL G. M. EDWARDS; DOLORES ELKIN; MARTA S. MAIER
Revista:
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES
Editorial:
ROYAL SOC
Referencias:
Lugar: Londres; Año: 2016 vol. 374
ISSN:
1364-503X
Resumen:
Specimens from underwater archaeological excavations have rarely been analysed by Raman spectroscopy probably due to the problems associated with the presence of water and the use of alternative techniques. The discovery of the remains of the Royal Navy warship HMS Swift off the coast of Patagonia, South America, which was wrecked in 1770 while undertaking a survey from its base in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, has afforded the opportunity for a firstpass Raman spectroscopic study of the contents of several glass jars from a wooden chest, some of which had suffered deterioration of their contents owing to leakage through their stoppers. From the Raman spectroscopic data, it was possible to identify organic compounds such as anthraquinone and copal resin, which were empirically used as materia medica in the eighteenth century to treat shipboard diseases; it seems very likely, therefore, that the wooden chest belonged to the barber-surgeon on the ship. Spectra were obtained from the wet and desiccated samples, but several samples from containers that had leaked were found to contain only minerals, such as aragonite and sediment.This article is part of the themed issue ?Raman spectroscopy in art and archaeology