SEM, EDS, AND FTIR EXAMINATION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL MINERALIZED PLANT FIBERS

The chemical and physical structures of archaeological mineralized pla nt fibers are studied using energy x-ray dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) , scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and FTIR microspectrometry, and compared with two contemporary bast fibers. The outer surfaces of the fibers and the inner surfaces of the lumens are heavily encrusted with copper. Fresh-fractured cross sections of the mineralized fibers disp lay small bead-like copper inclusions embedded within the fiber struct ure. In comparison with modern bast fibers, the mineralized fibers dis play an absence of hemicellulosic absorption bands (1740 cm(-1)), grea ter intensity, and sharper and well-defined individual absorption band s in the 1200-1500 cm(-1) region rather than a broad overlap of absorp tion found in the modern fibers. The mineralized fibers also display a lower crystallinity ratio (1372/2900 cm(-1)) than those of their coun terparts.