Professional Development Assignment, Spring 2010
Summary Report of Accomplishments
George H. Swihart, Department of Earth Sciences
Novel Non-destructive Analytical Method for Tracing Ancient Artifact Provenance
The overall goal of my PDA was to initiate steps to establish a laboratory for non-destructive
analysis of lithic artifacts and other materials. Since the approval of my PDA application in
spring 2009, several developments have occurred that have complemented my proposed
activities. First, my departmental archaeology colleague David Dye and I have recruited several
graduate students interested in lithic sourcing. I am now supervising a master’s student and a
doctoral student on projects that are parts of the general goal of developing non-destructive
analytical capabilities for lithic artifacts and other materials at the UoM. Second, the department
has hired a geoarchaeologist with research interests in lithic sourcing.
During my PDA, my students and I conducted field work to collect raw chert samples in west
central Tennessee. These samples were obtained to begin to provide baseline data for the chert
provenance part of our research program and to supply samples for laboratory experiments on
heat treatment and natural weathering effects. My doctoral student, Ryan Parish, presented
preliminary findings of a heat treatment experiment this spring at the annual American
Archaeological Society meeting in St. Louis, MO. My master’s student, Emily Hassler,
presented preliminary results demonstrating the potential of reflectance infrared
microspectroscopy for non-destructive trace component analysis at the NC-SC Geological
Society of America meeting this spring in Branson, MO. These data will eventually result in
several published papers.
I am incorporating these preliminary results into a National Science Foundation grant proposal
that Drs. Dye, Li (Chemistry Department) and I will resubmit this fall. This proposal seeks
support for further development of reflectance infrared microspectroscopy as a technique for
non-destructive analysis of chert artifacts. My doctoral student also plans to submit a related
proposal to NSF for dissertation fellowship support. Another part of my PDA proposal was to
investigate other techniques that might be advantageous for a non-destructive analytical facility
at the UoM. After a literature review, correspondence with scientific instrument manufacturers,
and an online investigation of capabilities of archaeometry labs at other universities, I
determined that the other very useful non-destructive technique for artifacts and other materials
is micro-XRF (X-ray fluorescence). With the arrival of Dr. Judson Finley in our department and
his interest in determining the provenance of ceramic shards and volcanic glass artifacts from the
western United States, my colleague Dan Larsen, Dr. Finley and I have begun to work toward
submission of a grant proposal to NSF for the purchase of a micro-XRF instrument.
I am very grateful to have had this PDA opportunity and I believe it will continue to reap
benefits in my research activities and the interdisciplinary research and curricular missions of the
Department of Earth Sciences and the University of Memphis.