The study of heated and charred archaeological materials with electron spin résonance spectroscopy

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy has been used to examine archaeological materials in terms of identifying and quantifying the effects of ancient heating or charting and as a means of establishing thermal profiles of free-spin species with the aim of assessing the extent of ancient heat treatment and as an aid to source-type studies. The utilisation of the pyrolytically induced radical carbon signal in flint, bone and crop remains is discussed in the context of related ESR work on coal, charcoal and similar materials and the relevance of ESR dating techniques to developing an understanding of ancient pyrotechnology is outlined.