ARCS2000 Lecture 3: Microscopy in Archaeology

• School: UQ
• Department: Archaeology Science/Archaeology Research
• Course: ARCS2000
• Professor: Glenys McGowan

Document Summary

Lecture 3: microscopy in archaeology: early development of light microscopy, some important concepts of light microscopy, why do we use microscopy in archaeology, types of microscopes used in archaeology, some case studies. A(cid:374)(cid:272)ie(cid:374)t greek: (cid:862)(cid:373)i(cid:272)ros(cid:863) = s(cid:373)all a(cid:374)d (cid:862)skopie(cid:374)(cid:863) = look or see: early development of light microscopy. From at least the neolithic people discovered the light could be reflected from shiny surfaces (e. g. obsidian mirrors made at catalhoyuk). Light also bent using blown glass globes -> fire lighting & viewing under magnification. Date from the roman period: archaeological evidence: Ground rock crystal (quartz) & ground glass lenses have been made in small quantities since at least the mediterranean bronze age. Aristopha(cid:374)es" pla(cid:455) the clouds had a s(cid:272)e(cid:374)e featuri(cid:374)g a (cid:272)r(cid:455)stal le(cid:374)s. Mirror reflected light (lamp or sun) into the tube so it could pass though or over specimen. Tube had two lenses to magnify and image.