CORRECTIONS FOR DRILL‐BIT CONTAMINATION IN SAMPLING ANCIENT POTTERY FOR NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS

Abstract

The routine measurement of tungsten concentrations in pottery sampled with tungsten‐carbide drill bits has enabled the measured concentrations of cobalt, tantalum, and lutetium to be corrected for drill‐bit contamination. The corrected data, for cobalt at least, are sufficiently accurate that they regain their value as chemical indicators of pottery provenance.