Critical evaluation of micro-chemical analysis of archaeological materials. Experiences from the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage.

Several case studies are described, all focussing on the analysis of archaeological objects. Research was done on objects from different materials, such as glass, textile and ceramics, from different pre-historical contexts and addressing different questions. In all cases, however, the analytical procedure was complex due to the nature of the archaeological material. We discuss the possibilities and limitations of different non-destructive and micro-destructives techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]