Lab Standards

The application of scientific techniques to the analysis of archaeological materials has become an integral part of archaeological inquiry. With the continual development of advanced methods and instrumentation, the amount of analytical data generated has grown substantially. However, an ongoing challenge lies in the underdeveloped and non-standardised nature of metadata information pertaining to instrument configurations. This lack of standardised metadata poses a formidable obstacle for researchers seeking to replicate specific analytical programs and evaluate data quality. In response to this, our Temporary Working Group (TWG) is dedicated to the harmonisation of existing schemas and relevant controlled vocabularies for the analysis of archaeological materials. We will concentrate on a specific range of analytical methods commonly employed in artefact studies, including the optical microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. These techniques are chosen due to their active operation in the participating laboratories (DBM, LEIZA, and Rathgen). We are particularly keen to develop a metadata profile for instrument parameters that are used to control the activity, might influence subsequent interpretations and/or will be important for data comparison