A STUDY OF GLASS BEADS FROM THE HALLSTATT C-D FROM SOUTHWESTERN POLAND: IMPLICATIONS FOR GLASS TECHNOLOGY AND PROVENANCE*.

Eighty-one samples taken from 68 glass beads found in southwestern Poland on sites of the Lusatian culture from the Hallstatt C and Hallstatt D subphases were analysed by EPMA. A subsample of 18 of these were additionally subjected to analysis by means of LA-ICP-MS in order to validate the results obtained by EPMA. Some glass was made using mineral soda and some using plant ash rich in sodium. Both high-magnesium soda-lime glass (HMG) and low-magnesium soda-lime glass (LMG) were identified. A large number of samples are characterized by low MgO content and medium K₂O content (LMMK glass), combined with low concentrations of CaO and high Fe₂O₃ and Al₂O₃. All the LMMK glass contains numerous silica crystals and inclusions composed of a number of elements (most frequently Cu, Co, Sb, As, Ag, Ni and Fe). The LMMK glass was presumably made in Europe during the Hallstatt C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]