Lead Isotope Analysis by TIMS for Provenance Studies in Archaeology: Roman Anchor Stocks from the Catalonian Coast, Spain

Abstract

Lead isotope analysis (LIA) is a valuable means for assessing provenance of raw material used in artefacts from Antiquity. Available data on isotopic composition of Roman-period artefacts (e.g. lead ingots from shipwrecks) and samples from lead sources constitute an outstanding frame of reference to develop these studies. In this work, analysis was performed on five Roman period lead anchor stocks from Catalonia, Spain. Isotope data were obtained using two high resolution multi-collector thermal ionization mass spectrometers (TIMS). The lead isotope signature of samples, in conjunction with historical considerations, suggests that the mineral used for these objects came from Cartagena-Mazarron deposits.