{
  "abstract": "Conventional X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis applied to the investigation of ancient metal salts used as pigments and/or therapeutics provide bulk average compositions in two stand-alone data sets; however, major elements aside, these two sets cannot inform on the spatial distribution of one with respect to the other. To address this issue, we present here a multimodal approach incorporating spatially resolved XRF, XRD and nanoscale X-ray imaging applied to the analysis of archaeological and experimental samples of synthetic lead carbonate (PbCO3 - Greek psimythion); psimythion was used in antiquity as a cosmetic and/or a therapeutic for external applications. The experimental sample was produced according to a well-documented recipe dated to the 4th century BCE. In this paper we demonstrate that by using a multimodal approach we can confidently assign trace elements to individual crystalline or to infer the existence of non-crystalline phases. Although the assignment of an element to a phase (i.e. the location) is now possible, the origin underlying it (i.e. the mechanism) is not always clear. Trace elements do not 'control' chemical/mineralogical composition, but they can influence it. Our approach is particularly suited to following changes in the artefact's chemical/mineralogical profile, from its manufacture, to use and burial, to excavation and conservation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2607.28492",
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Sumera Rehman"
    },
    {
      "name": "Spyridon Panagiotopoulos"
    },
    {
      "name": "Georgios E Christidis"
    },
    {
      "name": "Athena Athanassiadou"
    },
    {
      "name": "Alessandro Olivo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Effie Photos-Jones"
    },
    {
      "name": "Silvia Cipiccia"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/24ggm8vzdffvy.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2607.28492",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "24ggm8vzdffvy",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.28492",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.app-ph"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1204|Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7172006798",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2607.28492",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/24ggm8vzdffvy.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:00Z",
      "native_id": "2607.28492",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.28492"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.app-ph",
      "subfield": "applied-instrumentation"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Matching Trace Element Distribution to Mineralogical Phases in Ancient Biotechnology-Derived Metallic Salts: a Multimodal Analysis",
  "title_text": "Matching Trace Element Distribution to Mineralogical Phases in Ancient Biotechnology-Derived Metallic Salts: a Multimodal Analysis",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:00Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/24ggm8vzdffvy",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}