Format: Paper presentations with discussion
Convenors:
Dr Michaela Schauer,
University of Vienna, Austria, michaela.schauer@univie.ac.at
Dr Lee Drake,
University of New Mexico, USA, b.lee.drake@gmail.com
Dr Michelle J. Richards,
The University of Melbourne, Australia michelle.richards@unimelb.edu.au
Dr Andrew McAlister,
The University of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, andrew.mcalister@auckland.ac.nz
Innovations in the use of pXRF in agriculture, geo-exploration, metals industry and health all have applications for archaeometry. Over the past two decades, advances in pXRF instrumentation have enhanced its capacity for rapid, non-destructive elemental analysis, making it a valuable tool in both academic research and industry.
pXRF is particularly well-suited for ethical and community-driven research. Its non-invasive nature allows First Nations communities to analyse cultural artefacts and artworks without requiring their removal, preserving both heritage and data sovereignty. Meanwhile, research collaborations and networks such as the Global p-XRF Network (GopXRF.Net) are actively addressing common challenges associated with pXRF applications in archaeology, including data quality, reproducibility, and ethical considerations.
This session invites papers that explore:
- Challenges and solutions in the use of pXRF for archaeological research;
- Best practices for ensuring high-quality data, including calibration, standardisation, and ethical data protocols;
- Open data initiatives, reproducibility, and data sharing in pXRF research;
- The integration of pXRF with other analytical techniques;
- The role of machine learning and artificial intelligence in pXRF data analysis and archaeological inference;
- Innovative applications of pXRF for analysing archaeological materials, including stone, soils, metals, glass, pottery, and other artefacts.
We welcome contributions from researchers, industry professionals, and community partners working at the forefront of pXRF applications in archaeology.
Papers:
pXRF Without Borders: Building a Global Network for Collaborative Innovation and Best Practices
Michaela Schauer, Vienna Institute for Archaeological Science (VIAS); Research Network Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences (HEAS), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Michelle J. Richards, Indigenous Studies Program, School of Culture and Communication, Faculty of Arts; ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures, The University of Melbourne, Australia
Lee Drake, Dept of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA
Mai Abdelgawad, Centre d’Études Alexandrines (CEAlex) UAR 3134 CNRS/IFAO, Alexandrie, Égypte; Université Bordeaux Montaigne (UBM), France
Ioannis Liritzis, Alma Mater Europaea University (AMEU), ADAH Net., Maribor, Slovenia
Luisa Dallai, Dipartimento di Scienze Storiche e dei Beni Culturali, University of Siena, Sienna, Italy
Roger Doonan, Gaian Dynamics/AtkinsRealis, UK
The Global portable X-Ray Fluorescence Network (GopXRF.net) is a newly launched initiative providing a dedicated platform for the pXRF community in archaeology and heritage sciences. While pXRF is a powerful tool for chemical analysis, its application has been hindered by limited access to expertise and standardised methodologies. GopXRF.net addresses these challenges by fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange, and best practices.
Launched at the 2024 Methodological Innovations in pXRF Studies Conference in Vienna, the volunteer-led network connects specialists and novices alike. It supports teaching, mentoring, and the centralisation of key resources such as standards and reference materials. Early initiatives include a dedicated website, a colloquium series, research forums, and task forces to develop material-specific guidelines, starting with soils and ceramics. The network also plans to publish a beginner’s guide and maintain a directory of experts and reference standards.
By creating an inclusive and collaborative global community, GopXRF.net aims to enhance the credibility, accessibility, and impact of pXRF research across disciplines, ultimately driving innovation and bridging the gap between cultural and natural sciences.
Reconnecting Old and New with Non-destructive pXRF in Taungurung-led Research
Jonah Honeysett, Daniel Young, Chris Antonopoulos, Jack Honeysett and Uncle Shane Monk, Taungurung Land and Waters Council RAP, Australia
Michelle J. Richards, Indigenous Studies Program, School of Culture and Communication, Faculty of Arts; ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures, The University of Melbourne, Australia
Rebecca Beukers-Stewart, Prospective PhD student, Australia
Emily Nutman, The Australian National University, Australia
Zoe Mavrogenes, University of Wollongong, Australia
In this paper, we present some of our experiences and results from using non-destructive pXRF to learn about past greenstone axe exchanges and to emphasise how Taungurung Land and Waters Council, Registered Aboriginal Party (RAP), Victoria, are shifting away from certain dominant archaeological narratives. We are moving towards a Taungurung-led research program on Country, led by Taungurung Traditional Owners. This includes revisiting museum collections, conducting site visits, and following research ideas formed mostly from stone tools on Country. There remains deep interwoven cultural values that encapsulate story and song within cultural landscapes.
We will be discussing Isabel McBryde’s work and comparing it to our Taungurung-led research work. Isabel McBryde’s work is an example of one archaeological narrative on greenstone axes from Taungurung Country. We do find shared experiences in her multidisciplinary work, combining archaeology, ethnography, geology, and linguistics with interpretation, consultation and Taungurung narrative. Yet, there remain deep concerns with the global sharing of Traditional Owners Intellectual Cultural Property (ICIP), data and complex narratives from the archaeological record of greenstone axe exchange on Taungurung Country, without true consultation with the Taungurung. Our paper will be speaking to a better model for greenstone axe research through a Taungurung-led research model.
pXRF Sourcing of Obsidian and Early Maritime Exchange Networks in Southern Wallacea
Emily Nutman and Shimona Kealy, The Australian National University, Australia
Christian Reepmeyer, German Archaeological Institute, Germany
Sue O’Connor, The Australian National University, Australia
Situated between Sunda (greater Southeast Asia) to Sahul (greater Australia), migration through the islands of Wallacea represents the first major maritime crossing undertaken by our species. Archaeological research has largely focused on investigating the timing and nature of initial Late Pleistocene migrations and settlement of the archipelago, with less attention paid to subsequent developments in the region. Despite this, obsidian artefacts from a single geological source have been previously identified in archaeological sites on Timor, Alor, and Kisar. Exploitation of this source dates back to approximately 16,000 years ago and continues into the Early Holocene (Reepmeyer et al. 2019), making it the world’s earliest known multi-island maritime exchange network.
Here we present the results of combined geological and archaeological surveys, along with pXRF and LA ICP MS chemical analyses, to successfully identify and characterise the previously unknown source of this obsidian. This research not only provides insight into the advanced maritime capabilities and dynamic social interactions of island communities in Wallacea during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition, but also generates a valuable set of reference data for future sourcing work in a comparatively understudied region.
Tracing Ancient Networks: pXRF Provenience Analysis of Obsidian Artefacts in Central Rift Valley, Kenya During the Middle Stone Age
James K Munene, Dept of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
Lee Drake, Dept of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA
Jeffrey R. Ferguson, University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR), Missouri, USA
The Central Rift Valley, Kenya, has many chemically distinct obsidian sources. Their unique signatures can be used to determine the provenance of obsidian tools and thus examine patterns and social connectivity of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) and early Later Stone Age (LSA) hominins across East Africa. Previous research shows that during the early MSA, small numbers of obsidian artefacts were transported from the Central Rift Valley to sites up to 190 km away and up to 250 km in the early LSA. However, the small number of artefacts in these studies makes it difficult to establish detailed long-term variation interaction through time. Although portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) provides a novel tool for advancing knowledge of these social networks, its potential has not been fully exploited in the region due to the challenges the technology poses to those trying to use it, mainly due to the large number of geologic sources. Here, we present the results of an attempt to employ this technology on one of the largest sample sizes of obsidian (n > 3,000) from four MSA sites, namely Malewa Gorge 1 and Ilkek 1, 2, and 3, which were excavated in 2021.
Applying p-XRF to Shipwrecked Coins: The Challenges and Solutions of a Surface Analytical Technique on Corroded Silver
Liesel Gentelli, independent researcher
The HMS Feversham was an English ship that wrecked in 1711 off the coast of Cape Breton, Canada, en route to join the attack on Quebec. Despite several contemporary salvage attempts, the wreck was not located until 1984, with a rare ‘merchant’s hoard’ of silver coins. Five coins from this hoard are in the collection of the American Numismatic Society, all minted in Mexico between 1621 and 1665.
The present research takes p-XRF compositional data from three, two-reale pieces from the Feversham wreck, and compares to three contemporary Mexican two-reale pieces. This research aims to firstly determine the compositional differences between similar coins that have been corroded in seawater and those that have not. Secondly, an established mathematical correction for surface compositional analyses on silver coins is tested on corroded coins. This mathematical correction has been developed on silver coins that have not been corroded by seawater, to ensure the surface compositional data is representative of the bulk of the coin. Finally, recommendations for the treatment of p-XRF surface analytical data for corroded silver are proposed.
Pragmatic Approaches to Precision and Accuracy in p-XRF Studies: Workflow and Benchmarks for Daily Device Testing and High-Quality Data
Michaela Schauer, Vienna Institute for Archaeological Science (VIAS), University of Vienna, Austria; Part of the Research Network Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences (HEAS)
Ensuring high data quality in portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF) analysis is essential in archaeological and heritage sciences, where precision and accuracy directly impact research outcomes. This presentation introduces a structured approach to data quality assessment, emphasising standardised procedures for daily device testing and data verification. Key parameters, including precision, accuracy, and measurement uncertainty, are examined to establish clear and reproducible protocols. A routine method for verifying device accuracy against known reference values is proposed, incorporating Shewhart Control Charts (SCCs) to detect inconsistencies and instrument drift. Additionally, precision is assessed through benchmarks for Measurement Uncertainty (MU) and the Coefficient of Variation (CV). The proposed Data Quality Assessment (DQA) procedure is designed to be accessible, time-efficient, and adaptable across research contexts, ensuring reliable, high-quality data that can be compared effectively across instruments, laboratories, and studies.
Theory to Practice: Standardising XRF Methods over Multiple Instruments
Lee Drake, University of New Mexico, USA
Michaela Schauer, University of Vienna, Austria
Mai Abdel Gawad, Centre d’Études Alexandrines, France
Portable X-ray fluorescence instruments have introduced a revolution to the field of archaeometry; what once took weeks and long-distance transportation for destructive assays can now be done in seconds, in the field, with no harm to the artifact. However, analytical methods between instrument manufacturers remain a concern due to transparency and concerns about reproducibility. Here, we use instruments from three manufacturers (Niton, Olympus, and Bruker) and show how the open-source CloudCal program can create comparable empirical models for each instrument using obsidian and ceramic reference standards.