Preparing and analyzing fractured archaeological fibers

A technique was developed to prepare archaeological fiber cross sections for electron microscopic examination and x-ray analysis. Use of this new method allows chemical and morphological information to be obtained from the interior of a single fiber or yarn. Fibers are fractured while frozen and then freeze dried. Following mounting and carbon coating, fibers are examined by scanning and backscatter electron microscopy and then analyzed by using energy-dispersive spectrometry. Elemental distribution is mapped by using image-processing software. In this report, the described technique is employed in the examination of ancient fibers from three different long-term storage environments (moist buried, dry buried, museum stored). Data obtained by examining the interior of fibers such as these provide insight into the conditions of a fiber's growth, the treatments applied during the fiber's processing and use, and the conditions in which the fiber was stored.