Imaging and Wear Analysis Lab
We carry out microscopic analysis of diverse archaeological materials, including the study of microwear traces on artefacts made from a variety of materials (eg flint, bone and ceramics) - revealing new information about how they were manufactured, used and treated in the ancient past.
The IAWA Lab contains high power Olympus and Leica metallurgical microscopes, including one with long working distance, enabling microwear analysis of wear traces on a broad range of different sized artefacts - from very small flint microliths to large grindstones and pots. An Olympus stereoscope is available for macroscopic analysis.
Our microscopes are equipped with the latest Olympus Stream image analysis software to capture publication-quality trace wear data. Our extensive reference collection of experimentally used replica tools is used regularly for microwear teaching and research purposes.
High power scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDS) imaging is also available in this lab.
Microscopes
- Olympus BX53M metallurgical microscopes with SC180 and DP74 cameras and Stream image analysis software
- Leica DM750P polarising microscopes with ICC50HD camera and Leica Application Suite imaging software
- Olympus IX73P2F inverted light microscope with Stream image analysis software
- A range of basic low power laboratory binocular microscopes
SEM
- Hitachi TM4000Plus Tabletop low-vacuum, 5-20kV SEM with Oxford Instruments EDS and AZtecOne analysis software
- Capable of low vacuum observation of samples up to 80mm in length without the need for sample coating. Magnification ranges from x30 to x10,000. The SEM is fitted with an Oxford Instruments EDS and AZtecOne analysis software, allowing chemical characterisation through point and area spectra, elemental mapping and line scans
