Material Evidence of Sediments Recovered from Ancient Amphorae Found at the Potaissa Roman Fortress
Iulia Alexandra Farcas,
Thomas Dippong,
Ioan Petean,
Marioara Moldovan,
Miuta Rafila Filip,
Irina Ciotlaus,
Lucian Barbu Tudoran,
Gheorghe Borodi,
Gertrud Alexandra Paltinean,
Emanoil Pripon,
Claudiu Ioan Bunea
Affiliations
Iulia Alexandra Farcas
Faculty of Horticulture and Rural Business Development, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5Manastur Str., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Thomas Dippong
Faculty of Science, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 76 Victoriei Street, 430122 Baia Mare, Romania
Ioan Petean
Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Babes-Bolyai University, 11 Arany Janos Street, 400028 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Marioara Moldovan
Department of Polymer Composites, Institute of Chemistry “Raluca Ripan”, Babes-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Miuta Rafila Filip
Department of Polymer Composites, Institute of Chemistry “Raluca Ripan”, Babes-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Irina Ciotlaus
Department of Organic Compounds and Natural Products, Institute of Chemistry “Raluca Ripan”, Babes-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Lucian Barbu Tudoran
Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University, 44 Gheorghe Bilaşcu Street, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Gheorghe Borodi
National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 65-103 Donath Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Gertrud Alexandra Paltinean
Department of Polymer Composites, Institute of Chemistry “Raluca Ripan”, Babes-Bolyai University, 30 Fantanele Street, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Emanoil Pripon
Zalau County Museum of History and Art, 9 Unirii Str., 450042 Zalau, Romania
Claudiu Ioan Bunea
Faculty of Horticulture and Rural Business Development, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5Manastur Str., 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Methods for material investigation are powerful tools that allow specialists to elucidate important aspects regarding ancient artifacts such as the Roman amphorae deposits discovered at Potaissa Fortress in Turda, Romania. Archeological debate states that the deposit contained olive oil and wine amphorae, but no material evidence has been presented until now. The current research is focused on the most representative large amphora fragments found in the Potaissa deposit, with a significant amount of sediment on their walls, to give archeologists the material proof to elucidate their debate. Sediment was collected from each fragment and subjected to complex analysis. XRD investigation combined with cross-polarized light microscopy demonstrated mineral particles such as quartz, clay (muscovite and traces of biotite), and calcite. Quartz and calcite particles have a rounded shape and diameters in a range of 20–200 µm, and clay particles have a lamellar shape and dimensions from 1 to 20 µm, a fact confirmed by SEM microscopy. Sample 2 presented a large amount of amorphous phase followed by Samples 1 and 3, with a low amount of organic phase. FTIR investigation confirms organic phase presence owing to strong absorption bands regarding C-H, C=O, and O-H chemical bonds related to aliphatic compounds in Sample 2, and to some decayed wine residue in Samples 1 and 3. EDS elemental analysis was used for organic particle identification in the amphora sediments and to obtain a correlation with their microstructure. GC–MS investigation showed volatile compounds related to wine residue for Samples 1 and 3 and decomposed fats for Sample 2. Tartaric and malic acid were identified by HPLC in Samples 1 and 3, which are wine biomarkers. The correlation of all experimental results concludes with no doubt that Amphora 2 contained olive oil and Amphorae 1 and 3 contained wine in ancient times.
