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AbstractThe observed weights of ancient coins are usually less than the nominal “ideal” weights of the coin standards to which they belong because state authorities took a fee—“seigniorage”—for minting coins to cover costs and to make a profit. The basis for calculating the amount taken by the state and the way it administered manufacture are not well understood. Here we analyze the weights of 1344 of the earliest coins of Athens (c. 550–479 bce). We reveal a parabolic relationship between the cost of the silver and the weights of the coins whereby a progressively higher proportion was taken as the denomination decreased, meaning that the smaller the coin, the larger was the proportion of silver taken from it. There was tight control of the minting process and mathematical sophistication in precisely adjusting the silver content from the first introduction of coinage. It also made minting a profitable business. Changes in minting practice can be detected with the introduction of the Athenian “owl” coins, when the percentage of silver taken by the state increased and the spread of weights widened to include coins weighing more than the nominal weight. The latter indicates a significant shift toward monetization of the economy.

This paper discusses a methodology that involves the use of x amp; 8208;ray fluorescence XRF , high energy particle induced x amp; 8208;ray emission HE amp; 8208;PIXE and particle induced amp; 947; amp; 8208;ray emission HE amp; 8208;PIGE spectroscopies for the study of historic denars with the aim of describing the advantages and limitations of each technique as well as arriving at an archaeometric interpretation of the compositions. Thirty nine medieval Polish denars minted by Kings Boles amp; 322;aw the Brave and Mieszko II Lambert were analysed for their elemental composition. While XRF is limited to the analysis of the material close to the object s surface, high energy ion beam analysis was used to obtain information from Cu at a relatively larger depth. The major elements detected were Ag and Cu, while the minor elements were Pb, Au, Bi, and Zn. An evaluation of the results obtained with the different techniques shows that the content of Cu near the surface is different from the bulk composition of the coins. The obtained elemental composition was used to proliferate the understanding of chronological changes in the production of early medieval Polish denars

This is the 228 pages full report of 2014 season of the Madâ’in Archaeological Project. It contains reports on the various excavation areas (a cairn complex from an early period, the Nabataean rampart and the south-eastern gate, the sanctuary IGN 132, the domestic areas 9 and 65 in the residential area and finally the result of the work undertaken in three monumental Nabataean tombs), as well as various specialised reports (on the pottery, the marine molluscs, the coins and the restoration).

Magnetic and other measurements are reported for the Guehenno II Gallo‐Roman hoard (56‐France) which, amongst several thousand Tetricus antoniniani, contains 275 coins struck with the same dies. The orientation of the remanent magnetization is systematically directed outwards from the obverse confirming the identity of the anvil die with the obverse. The magnetization vector is statistically distributed around the vertical axis giving no indication of the geomagnetic inclination at the time of striking. Consequently ancient struck coins cannot be used for dating. The origin of the remanent magnetization was also investigated.

The Saint-Pierre fountain is located inside the oppidum of Bibracte, halfway between the Parc aux Chevaux residential district to the North and the La Terrasse religious site to the South. It is supplied with water by one of the main springs on Mont Beuvray and, despite being one of the emblematic areas of the site, it was of little interest to nineteenth-century archaeologists. A research programme was launched in 1988 with the aim of uncovering the ancient infrastructure around the spring and was completed in 1996. A secondary aim was to look for remains of plant matter (seeds, twigs, etc.) in the damp sediments in order to allow the plant environment within the oppidum walls and in the immediate vicinity to be reconstructed. This work is the third monograph on excavations carried out within the oppidum since research was resumed in 1984. In this volume, a description of the successive phases of infrastructure work carried out around the spring is followed by various specialist contributions, then a conclusion presenting a functional and social interpretation of the buildings and structures uncovered.; À l'intérieur de l'oppidum de Bibracte, la fontaine Saint- Pierre se trouve à mi-distance entre le quartier résidentiel du Parc aux Chevaux, au nord, et le secteur cultuel de la Terrasse, au sud. Alimentée par une des sources principales du Mont Beuvray, c'est un des lieux emblématiques du site, qui a toutefois peu intéressé les archéologues du xixe siècle. Un programme de recherche visant à mettre au jour les aménagements antiques de la source fut lancé en 1988 et s'est achevé en 1996. Un second objectif était de retrouver dans les sédiments humides des restes végétaux (graines, brindilles...) permettant de restituer l'ambiance végétale dans l'enceinte de l'oppidum et à proximité. Cet ouvrage constitue la troisième monographie de fouilles réalisées au sein de l'oppidum depuis la reprise des recherches, en 1984. Dans ce volume, à la suite de la description des aménagements successifs de la source, on trouvera différentes contributions spécialisées, puis une conclusion portant sur l'interprétation fonctionnelle et sociale des bâtiments et structures mis au jour.

Glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GDOES) has been used for obtaining calibration curves for copper, tin, lead, silver, antimony, arsenic, zinc and iron from standards including copper‐base alloys (Cu 61.33‐99.95%) and from bronze Punic coins. The GDOES results were calibrated using atomic absorption spectroscopy with inductively coupled plasma atomization (ICPAAS) to analyse the standards and coins. For all these materials, the results show that via GDOES it is possible to obtain reliable and reproducible calibration curves for copper, tin, lead, zinc and iron with a linear behaviour as a function of the content. The quantitative GDOES and ICPAAS data for the coins have been also compared with those obtained via X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) and it is shown that GDOES, ICPAAS and XRF agree well with one another considering that the bronze coins are inhomogeneous to some degree. As an example of GDOES analytical features, a depth concentration profile through a thin bronze patina is shown and briefly discussed.

Ce volume constitue le rapport sur les résultats de la troisième campagne de fouilles de la Mission archéologique franco-saoudienne de Madâ'in Sâlih, l'ancienne Hégra des Nabatéens, dans le nord-ouest de l'Arabie Saoudite (MAEE, SCTA, CNRS, Univ. Paris 1, IFPO). Outre les résultats obtenus dans les différents chantiers (dans la zone résidentielle et dans un triclinium au sud du Jabal Ithlib), le lecteur trouvera des synthèses préliminaires sur les macro-restes végétaux (Ch. Bouchaud), la céramique (C. Durand et Y. Gerber), la détection géophysique (Chr. Benech), les monnaies (Chr. Augé) et la faune (J. Studer) This volume is the report on the results of the third excavation season of the Saudi-French Archaeological Project at Madâ'in Sâlih, Nabataean Hegra in northwest Saudi Arabia (MAEE, SCTA, CNRS, Univ Paris 1, IFPO). Apart from the results obtained in the different excavation areas (both in the residential area and in a triclinium south the Jabal Ithlib, the reader will find preliminary syntheses on the macro-vegetal remains (Ch. Bouchaud), on the pottery (C. Durand and Y. Gerber), on the geomagnetic survey (Chr. Benech), on the coins (Chr. Augé) and on the faunal remains (J. Studer).

Saint Peter’s church in Corgoloin appears today as a typical church in the outskirts of Citeaux abbey, stemming from a wave of reconstructions apparently concentrated around the 2nd quarter of the 13th century. In this context, the church defines itself by an architectural and decorative synthesis - between Cistercian tradition and Gothic innovation - but also belongs to a locally rare type of churches said « with passages », and so raises, beyond its general conception, a lot of questions particularly inherent in the liturgy and the internal movements of the clergy and the congregation.

Ce volume constitue le rapport sur les résultats de la quatrième campagne de fouilles de la mission archéologique franco-saoudienne de Madâ'in Sâlih, l'ancienne Hégra des Nabatéens, dans le nord-ouest de l'Arabie Saoudite (MAEE, SCTA, CNRS, Univ. Paris 1, IFPO). Outre les résultats obtenus dans les différents chantiers (dans la zone résidentielle et dans le tombeau IGN 117), le lecteur trouvera une étude synthétique sur les cairns/tumuli du site (W. Abu-Azizeh) ainsi que des rapports intermédiaires sur la détection géophysique (Chr. Benech), la faune (J. Studer) et la céramique (C. Durand). This volume is the report on the results of the fourth excavation season of the Saudi-French Archaeological Project at Madâ'in Sâlih, ancient Hegra in the Nabataean kingdom, in north-west Saudi Arabia (MAEE, SCTA, CNRS, Univ Paris 1, IFPO). Apart from the results obtained in the different excavation areas (both in the residential area and in tomb IGN 117), the reader will find a study on the cairns/tumuli of the site (W. Abu-Azizeh) as well as intermediary reports on the geophysical detection (Chr. Benech), the fauna (J. Studer) and the pottery (C. Durand).