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Article
Handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF)
Versus Wavelength Dispersive XRF:
Characterization of Chinese Blue-and-
White Porcelain Sherds Using Handheld
and Laboratory-Type XRF Instruments
Gulsu Simsek Franci
Abstract
Almost all archaeometric studies on Chinese ceramics are carried out on the excavation materials. Therefore, a detailed,
comparable database that defines different workshops and production periods already exists. But the masterpieces
preserved at museums, art galleries, and/or private collections, which are artistically considered as genuine artifacts,
also require similar scientific investigations to define their provenance and authenticity. The research on artworks is
only possible with the use of portable, noninvasive techniques that are developing daily concerning their capability of
detection limits, rate of measurement, and ease of use. In this study, the results obtained with a handheld X-ray fluores-
cence (XRF) (also called portable XRF) and wavelength dispersive XRF instrument were compared to evidence the
efficiency and drawbacks of the portable model. To achieve this goal, 12 sherds, which represent blue-and-white porcelains
of Yuan and Ming Dynasties (China), were analyzed and the chemical composition of the body, glaze, and blue decor were
identified. The comparison of the results with the measurements carried out on the excavation materials, which are
produced in both southern and northern China, revealed the authenticity of the artifacts. Even sodium cannot be detected
with portable XRF, the distinction of different production centers is possible with the detection of major (Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca),
minor (Fe, Ti), and trace elements (Zr, Sr, Rb).
Keywords
X-ray fluorescence, handheld XRF, wavelength dispersive XRF, WDXRF, blue-and-white porcelain, Chinese wares, Yuan
and Ming Dynasties
Date received: 13 August 2019; accepted: 31 October 2019
Introduction
Archaeometric studies, which are carried out on ancient
ceramics, have developed since the 1950s
1–5
and reached a
high level with Kingery et al.
6,7
They focused on defining the
mineralogical, petrological, chemical composition of the
paste, glaze, slip layers, and coloring agents and were only
performed with laboratory-scale instruments, such as neu-
tron activation analysis (NAA), scanning electron micros-
copy–energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM–EDS),
transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction
(XRD), wavelength dispersive XRF (WDXRF), confocal
Raman microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma-mass
spectrometry (ICP-MS). Most of these techniques are
destructive, requiring sample preparation for multiscale ana-
lysis of the cross-sections to define major, minor, and trace
elements and mineral phases found in the composition. Only
NAA is a noninvasive method which does not require any
sampling before the measurement.
8
After the development of noninvasive, portable models
of some instruments available since the early 2000s but
extensively used for a few years to study pottery and
glass,
9–15
the on-site analyses of archaeological materials
have been possible to maintain the integrity of the objects.
Portable Raman, portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and
fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy are the main portable
Koc¸ University Surface Science and Technology Center (KUYTAM),
Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
Corresponding author:
Gulsu Simsek Franci, Koc¸ University Surface Science and Technology
Center (KUYTAM), Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey.
Email: gusimsek@ku.edu.tr
Applied Spectroscopy
2020, Vol. 74(3) 314–322
!The Author(s) 2019
Article reuse guidelines:
sagepub.com/journals-permissions
DOI: 10.1177/0003702819890645
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techniques that can be used on-site. The measurements
with portable systems allow a significant increment of the
number of artifacts studied which enables exhaustive stat-
istical research. Therefore, the studies have become pos-
sible at the excavation sites, museums, art galleries, and
private collections.
The portable XRF method is a complementary tech-
nique that gives information about the elemental compos-
ition of the artifacts studied. It allows the distinction of the
different production centers in Europe, in Ottoman and
Islamic countries, and the Chinese world, as well as the
authentication of the ceramic objects. Previous studies
proved the success of the technique by comparing the
data obtained from large-scale instruments, such as time-
of-flight ICP-MS with laser ablation (LA), ICP-optical emis-
sion spectrometry (ICP-OES), NAA, and energy dispersive
XRF.
8,16–21
Since the 1990s, almost all studies on Chinese ceramics
were carried out in the research centers housing a labora-
tory-scale infrastructure, which ranges from conventional
XRD, XRF, SEM–EDS, electron probe microanalysis, ICP-
MS, Raman, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy
22–34
to more
sophisticated techniques such as TEM, NAA, thermal ion-
ization mass spectrometry, proton-induced X-ray emission
(PIXE), Mo
¨ssbauer spectroscopy, full-field transmission
X-ray microspectrometry, and X-ray absorption spectros-
copy.
35–39
As mentioned above, the analyses aim to identify
the body, glaze, and coloring agent constituents, as well as
to resolve the discussion of the authenticity of the objects.
Most studies focus on excavated materials,
24,40–47
which
are more reliable for authenticity and provenance deter-
mination, but generally consist of kiln waste remains.
Masterpieces preserved at museums, art galleries, and/or
private collections, which are artistically considered as
the most representative artifacts, also require similar
scientific investigations and comparison using measure-
ments on excavated kiln waste. Of course, noninvasive
techniques are needed as well as on-site measurements
because the priceless masterpieces lead to huge costs
for transportation and insurance when they are moving
from their secured place of exhibition to the research
laboratory. Furthermore, even for excavated materials, eth-
ical rules are changing and limited sampling techniques and
destructive analyses at the laboratory are required.
Therefore, on-site analysis methodologies need to be cre-
ated to continue research on the cultural heritage objects
to highlight the evolutionary history of human culture.
Moreover, the data collected from the well-documented
reference material might shed some light on the identifica-
tion of the masterpieces, which are conserved at museums
and/or private collections. Unfortunately, studies on
entire objects are lacking in the literature corresponding
to the Chinese ceramics. Therefore, archaeometric
investigations, where noninvasive, portable, and fast analyt-
ical techniques are used, gain much more importance for
the artworks of private collections and/or galleries. The
patterns applied on Chinese porcelains are repeated for
centuries by different workshops, and these similar art-
works which are dispersed around the world can be
found in national museums (Topkapi Palace Museum,
Istanbul; Iran Bastan Museum, Iran; Victoria and Albert
Museum, UK, etc.).
To study the reliability of the mobile XRF system, the
measurements were carried out using WDXRF and hand-
held XRF on the glaze, blue decor, and body layers of a
group of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. The studied
sherds are representatives of the fragmentary ceramic
objects pertaining to the collections of Art and Science
Endowment (ASET, Stiftung, Berlin, Germany) Holdings,
the Bolourforoushan Family, the Estate of the Heirs of
Rudolf Wissell (1869–1962), and Otto Friedrich Bach
(1899–1981). While seven sherds are part of the produc-
tions of the Yuan Dynasty (early and mid-14th century), five
sherds involve the production periods of the Ming Dynasty
(Xuande AD 1425–1435 and Chenghua AD 1465–1487
periods).
46
There are fewer studies carried out using WDXRF
47–52
than with ED-XRF,
11,53–57
which is used more frequently for
the analysis of archaeological ceramics. The superiority of
WDXRF arises from the detection of light elements (LE)
with better precision and resolution. It can also more read-
ily measure rare earth elements. Therefore, the consistency
of the handheld XRF instrument will be preferably con-
firmed by WDXRF.
Experimental
Sherds
Supplemental Material Fig. S1 shows representative views of
12 sherds that correspond to the productions of blue-and-
white porcelains from Yuan (Y) and Ming (M) Dynasties.
Detailed information about the sherds is given in Table
S1. There are two exceptional samples in which one (Y6)
is completely decorated in white and the other (Y5) in
three colors: blue, red, and white. The sherds, which
were selected from the collection of ASET, are subject to
the detailed scientific studies within the Blue Print
Monographic Program. The main objective of this program
is to identify and investigate the critical questions that have
a significant bearing on the origin, development, diffusion,
and transmission of the knowledge of high-fired ceramics
(in this paper, porcelains).
The studied sherds have been sliced with a Buehler dia-
mond wafering blade used in a Buehler cutting machine
(IsoMet 5000). A 3–10 mm-thick wafer with two parallel
faces allowed a good examination with a Leica s9i stereo
microscope (Fig. S2) as well as a better measurement of
cross-sections representing the body composition with
XRF instruments.
Franci 315
XRF Spectrometry
Two different XRF spectrometers, handheld or portable
XRF and WDXRF, were used for the identification of the
transparent/white glaze, body, and blue colored area. The
aim is to compare the data obtained from a lab-scale,
high-resolution system with noninvasive, portable instru-
mentation. The advantages and disadvantages of these
two instruments are summarized in Table I.
The WDXRF analyses were carried out using a BRUKER
S8 Tiger instrument on the surface to identify the compos-
ition of the glaze and blue decor, as well as the cross-sec-
tion for determining the body composition (see Figs. S1 and
S2). X-rays were generated using a 4 kW rhodium (Rh)
anode X-ray tube under vacuum. The measurements
were performed at 50 kV and 60 mA. The ‘‘best detection’’
analysis mode, which lasts for 18 min, was chosen. Due to
the small size of the samples, a 5 mm mask was used to
determine the elemental compositions. A macromeasure-
ment was performed on the samples, rather than a spot
analysis, because of the larger aperture size (0.5 cm).
Therefore, with the WDXRF instrument, the analyses of
thin-sectioned samples may interfere the paste with the
glaze and/or decor composition.
Handheld XRF analyses were performed by hand on the
sherds under laboratory conditions using a Hitachi X-MET
8000 Expert Geo (Oxford Instruments) instrument. It is
equipped with an Rh target X-ray tube of 4 W, 50 kV max-
imum, and a silicon drift detector. For quantitative meas-
urement, the Mining LE method, which uses low energy at
10 keV for determining low Z-elements and high energy at
40 keV to identify the network modifiers and blue coloring
agent found on the decor and paste composition, was
chosen. The beam size on the surface is 10.7 mm 9.4 mm,
and a camera is used for controlling the measured area with
the handheld XRF instrument. Contrary to the WDXRF
system, the presence of the camera enables a more precise
distinction between the colored areas on the sherds.
Further studies may be carried out with a collimator
attached handheld XRF instrument for the measurements
of micron-level (10 mm) spots. Due to the heterogeneity
in composition and variation in the glaze thickness, the
measurements were carried out on at least three different
areas of the same colored area (blue) or transparent glaze
with 30 s of radiation time. The paste composition was
determined similarly to the WDXRF measurement, from
the cross-sections of the sherds by using the sample stand
attachment.
Evaluation of the XRF Data
Both instruments were calibrated with proper standards
for ceramic analysis before measurement. The calibration
of BRUKER S8 Tiger WDXRF was carried out regularly
with four special silicate glasses (BR SQ1, 2, 3, STG2),
which were provided by Breitla
¨nder GMBH. For the
evaluation of the XRF data recorded using WDXRF, the
results were converted from elements concentration
ratios to oxide values and normalized to 100% with the
software Spectra Plus (BRUKER).
The Hitachi X-MET8000 Expert Geo handheld XRF
instrument was calibrated at the factory with proper stand-
ards for each measurement mode (soil, mining, Mining LE,
rare earth elements, and alloy). The mode (Mining LE) that
we used was calibrated using certified reference materials,
GBM911-14 (provided by Geostats Pty. Ltd) and ECRM
683-1. The detection limit for lighter elements (Mg, Al, Si,
K, etc.) is between 100 and 1000 parts per million (ppm),
while the detection limit for heavier elements (Rb, Sr, Zr,
Pb, etc.) increases up to 5 ppm. The silicon semiconductor
detector allows a better detection capability on the low
Z-elements without using an external vacuum pump
which is connected to the instrument.
58
The data obtained
with handheld XRF are reported in elementary compos-
ition. The weight percent (wt%) of the elements were con-
verted to oxide concentrations using an Excel file
(Microsoft Office). The sum of the oxides calculated using
handheld XRF is closer to 100%. Therefore, the normal-
ization procedure was not conducted. The remaining
amount of the data refers to the approximate concentra-
tion of sodium which cannot be detected with portable
systems. As described previously,
17–19
this handheld XRF
can measure higher Z-elements starting from Mg. The
elemental composition of Na and lower Z-elements can
be calculated using this WDXRF instrument. Even the
low Z-elements (e.g., Mg, Al, Si, P) require a vacuum envir-
onment created with a helium purge. A previous study on
‘‘Iznik’’ tiles showed that although sodium cannot be mea-
sured with a handheld XRF instrument, it can be calculated
in these samples by subtracting the sum of the other oxides
from 100. The amount remaining is referred to as an
approximate content of Na
2
O. It should be noted that
this procedure might be valid only for ‘‘ideal’’ materials. In
the presence of any corrosion products and/or soil resi-
dues, sodium cannot be estimated. The detection of sodium
is important in the identification of glazed ceramics, but it is
not a prerequisite for the distinction of different production
centers. Only the detection of trace elements, which is
enabled by the new generation portable XRFs, may distinct-
ively display the provenance of the artifacts analyzed.
All the data, which were converted to the oxide for-
mulas, were normalized using SiO
2
to achieve a similar
scale of the results and to limit errors due to the experi-
mental procedure. The size of the samples, as well as the
curvature, influences the reproducibility of the data.
Therefore, this normalization procedure, as before
described,
18,26
eliminates the probable errors resulting
from the measurement that depends on the instrument
tip-surface artifact distance. Another method is to normal-
ize the elemental results using the X-ray tube’s Compton
peak, but the normalization with Si is a more appropriate
316 Applied Spectroscopy 74(3)
procedure to use for objects made of the same material to
account for geometry effects only.
To interpret the data comprehensively, it was obtained
using handheld XRF and WDXRF as shown in binary and
tertiary scatter diagrams plotted with Statistica 13
Academic software (TIBCO Software Inc.) (see Figs. 1 to
6, and Figs. S3 and S4). The efficiency of the scatter plots for
discriminating different groups of ancient ceramics is evi-
denced in previous publications.
18,26,58
For this study, the
results were also compared with the reference data already
published by other researchers who worked on the cer-
amic materials produced in both northern and southern
China (see Figs. 1 and 4, and Fig. S3).
59–62
Results and Discussion
In this study, handheld XRF analyses of the sherds were
compared with the analyses carried out using WDXRF, as
well as the reference data already published. The previous
measurements were performed with different techniques,
including a similar portable XRF, ED-XRF, and PIXE.
59–62
The body measurements were carried out from the
cross-sections of the sherds, with both XRF techniques.
The analysis area is larger in WDXRF than handheld XRF
where the elements found in the glaze and colored areas
may influence the results of the paste composition. The
glaze composition is determined from the glazed surface
but still, as the analysis area is larger for WDXRF, a precise
determination of the transparent glaze may not be possible.
The coloring agents found in blue colored areas will influ-
ence the results of the glaze.
Body
Previous studies carried out using XRF
26,60–63
showed that
major (Al, Si, K, Ca), minor (Fe, Ti), and trace elements (Zr,
Rb, Sr) related to the raw materials used on the body and
fluxes are characteristic of the body composition. Chinese
productions are mainly divided into two groups: southern
porcelain made of porcelain stone (China stone, petuntze)
and northern porcelain made of kaolinite and fluxing mater-
ials (such as quartz and feldspar).
63
In the productions of
northern China, intentional additions of fluxing agents or
quartz in the body were minimal or absent because the raw
materials were prepared after a ‘‘washing’’ process.
64
Figure 1 presents clear evidence that the body composition
of the productions of northern China is rich in alumina and
poor in potassium, while the Yuan and Ming wares are rich
in potassium and poor in alumina. Even the data obtained
with WDXRF shifts slightly towards higher values, they fall
in the same group when compared to the reference data
obtained from the southern China porcelains.
59–62
The flow
counter used in our WDXRF is connected to a continuous
supply of counting gas, P10 gas (10% methane, 90% argon),
that has the advantage of being able to be equipped with a
very thin window (equal or less than 0.6 mm). The flow
counter is therefore suitable for measuring the LE (Na,
Mg, Si, Al) and is very stable. The intensity of X-rays
diminishes when they pass through the solid ceramic mater-
ial. This diminishment depends on both the radiation
energy and the chemical composition of the absorbing
material (in this case, ceramics).
65
The radiation energies
of portable systems are always lower than the laboratory-
scale XRF instruments. However, heavier elements absorb
better radiation energy than light ones. Therefore, the dif-
ference of the content of heavier elements, Rb, Sr, and Zr
(see Figs. 2 and 5) found as trace elements in the body
composition, which is measured with WDXRF and hand-
held XRF, is less than the lighter elements. The analysis of
trace elements plays a more important role than the major
elements because the major elements form the structural
constituents of the dominant minerals present in the clay
sources, which show only a relatively limited variation in
composition. However, trace elements depend on the
source rock compositions which are more variable, and
they allow better discrimination on the provenance of the
sherds analyzed. The sherd, M4, is only measured with
handheld XRF because the section is too thin for the meas-
urement with our WDXRF. This sample is out of the main
group, having a higher content of SrO in the body than the
other sherds.
Glaze
Because of the heterogeneous structure of the glaze, which
depends on the thickness, color diffusion, and surface
imperfections, the difference between handheld XRF and
WDXRF measurements is larger than in the body compos-
ition (Figs. 3 and 4, and Fig. S3). The wt% of the lighter
elements found in the glaze, which are measured with hand-
held XRF, are relatively shifted to lower values compared to
WDXRF analyses. However, the sherds M4 and Y6 have
Figure 1. Binary scatter plots of the weight % ratios of K
2
O
versus Al
2
O
3
normalized by SiO
2
found in the body. Reference
data are added for comparison.
59–64
Franci 317
monochromatically colored (blue and transparent, respect-
ively), which are more homogeneous than the other sherds.
The contents of potassium and calcium measured with
WDXRF and handheld XRF are very close to each other.
Moreover, the sherd M4 is also rich in strontium found in
the composition of the glaze, which differs from the Yuan
and Ming sherds. The huge discrepancy of zirconium con-
tent found in the glaze of Y4, which is measured with
WDXRF and handheld XRF, may arise from the heterogen-
eity of the glaze structure. The higher iron content found in
the glaze of Y4 with WDXRF (see Fig. S4) shows that the
analyzed area comprises both transparent and
blue decorated areas. Therefore, the content of iron and
zirconium are related to the coloring agent found in the
blue decor.
The comparison with the reference data obtained from
the glaze composition clearly shows that the productions of
northern China are well differentiated from the
productions of southern China (Fig. 4), which are rich in
alumina and relatively low in potassium.
64
Blue Decor
Previous studies
66–71
carried out on the blue color of the
Chinese blue-and-white porcelain shows the use of differ-
ent cobalt sources depending on the production period, as
follows:
(i) Yuan dynasty (AD 1206–1368): The previous studies
mention that cobalt blue pigments contain high ratios of
wt% Fe/wt% Co (2-24) and low wt% Mn/wt% Co (0.005-
0.15).
60
The typical cobalt of the Yuan dynasty contains
arsenic and sulfur, but copper and nickel are usually
absent. The researchers found that the blue pigment,
which is used during Yuan dynasty, was similar in com-
position to the blue color of Middle Eastern ceramics.
71
Figure 2. Ternary scatter plots of trace elements, ZrO
2
,Rb
2
O,
and SrO normalized by SiO
2
found in the body.
Figure 5. Ternary scatter plots of trace elements, ZrO
2
,Rb
2
O,
and SrO normalized by SiO
2
found in the glaze.
Figure 3. Binary scatter plots of the weight % ratios of K
2
O
versus CaO normalized by SiO
2
, found in the glaze.
Figure 4. Binary scatter plots of K
2
O versus Al
2
O
3
normalized
by SiO
2
, found in the glaze. Reference data are added for
comparison.
59–64
318 Applied Spectroscopy 74(3)
(ii) Ming dynasty (AD 1368–1644): This period is divided
into four sub-groups in which different cobalt sources
were used. The early productions of Ming ware, also
known as Hongwu and Yongle blue-and-white porcel-
ains (AD 1368–1425), contain the same cobalt pigment
as the Yuan dynasty in the blue decorated areas.
Different from the early Ming productions, a local
Chinese cobalt ore was used during the Xuande
period (AD 1426–1435). This ore has a relatively
higher Mn/Co ratios (4.5–8) and lower Fe/Co
(0.7–2). The composition suggests that a mineral
such as asbolite was used as the blue color source.
70
In this blue color, arsenic (100–300 ppm) and nickel
(300–800 ppm) were found as trace elements.
60
After
Xuande period, the so-called Chenghua productions
(AD 1465–1487) evidence the use of two different
cobalt sources: (1) Mn/Co: 0.5–2.5, Fe/Co: 1.5–5.5
and (2) Mn/Co: 4.5–7.5, Fe/Co: 0.5–1.5. The blue pig-
ment used in the late period of the Ming dynasty,
known as Jiajing productions, has a closer ratio of
Mn/Co (0.2–1.3) and Fe/Co (0.2–3.2).
In this study, the blue color was applied as either under-
glaze or glaze decoration, on the porcelain, except the
sherd Y6 of which a transparent glaze was applied over
the porcelain body. The ternary scatter plot in Fig. 6
shows the distribution of the major blue coloring elements,
Co, Mn, and Fe normalized by Si.
The composition of the blue coloring agent in M3 and
M4 is almost the same, rich in cobalt with a slight content of
iron but almost without manganese. For these sherds, the
ratio of Mn/Co is 0.02 and Fe/Co is 0.36 (see Table S4)
which differs from the other blue decorations. Moreover,
the composition of the blue pigment found in the decor of
the sherd Y7 is also different, which has closer ratios of Mn/
Co (1) and Fe/Co (1.6). These calculated ratios are consist-
ent with the blue pigment used in Jiajing blue-and-white
porcelains. It can be assumed that Y7, which is considered
as a product of the Yuan dynasty (see Table S1), may be
produced in the late Ming period.
As mentioned previously, handheld XRF measurements
are more successful for the detection of high-Z-elements
because of the higher linear absorption coefficient of hea-
vier elements.
65
The analyses of colored areas with a
WDXRF is less accurate than the portable XRF technique
because the measurement is carried out by mapping the
area rather than the spot analysis, but with the camera of
handheld XRF, it is possible to focus the area, even on the
very thin colored decors. The high variance of the data
obtained with WDXRF and handheld XRF on the blue
color of the sherds, M2, Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, and Y5, may
also show the heterogeneity of the glaze, depending
on the thickness and diffusion of the blue color. The meas-
urements carried out with these two techniques differenti-
ate barely for the sherds M1, M3, M4, M5, and Y7. This
is assumable for the sherds M3, M4, and Y7, because
these samples have a solid blue colored glaze contrary
to an underglaze decoration. But the results show clearly
that the sherds M1 and M5, which are decorated in blue-
and-white colors, have a homogeneous structure, different
from the other blue-and-white porcelains. The sherd
M5, which is attributed to the Chenghua production, is
consistent with the reference data matching the amount
of Mn, Co, and Fe.
60
However, the sherd M1 is attributed
to the production of Xuande but the ratios of Mn/Co and
Table I. Advantages and disadvantages of the techniques used in this study.
Study instrument Advantages Disadvantages
WDXRF (BRUKER S8 Tiger) Sensitivity on measuring lighter
elements (from B to Na)
Lack of the camera
Large area of measurement
(mapping)
Handheld XRF (HITACHI
X-MET 8000 Expert Geo)
Camera system to visualize
the analysis area
Spot analysis, possible
Sodium (Na) not measurable
Figure 6. Ternary scatter plots of the main blue coloring agents,
Co, Mn, and Fe normalized by Si, found in the decor.
Franci 319
Fe/Co is more compatible with the blue decor of
Chenghua.
60
Conclusion
This study presented the body, glaze, and blue decor ana-
lyses carried out with two different models of an XRF
instrument, WDXRF and handheld XRF on a group of
Chinese blue-and-white porcelain sherds. There are many
studies on the excavated Chinese ceramics but almost none
on the artworks which are conserved at museums, gal-
leries, and/or private collections. The studied sherds apper-
tain to the fragmentary artworks which are under
investigation of an international research program (Blue
Print) led by ASET Stiftung (Berlin). With this study, the
interpretation of the results obtained from XRF spectrom-
etry has been possible by comparing the data with the ref-
erence studies already published. The analysis results
showed that the studied sherds were produced in southern
China, differing from the productions of northern China.
The elemental measurements carried out with handheld
XRF were also compared to the WDXRF measurements
to show the reliability of the instrument. Nowadays, port-
able, noninvasive techniques are much more required due
to the necessity of the nondestructive analyses of the
immovable objects in place or exclusive objects preserved
in the private collections or secure rooms of galleries/
museums which requires huge costs of security and trans-
portation to the laboratories. The analyses of the body and
glaze layers showed a slight variation on the results
obtained with handheld XRF and WDXRF. However, hand-
held XRF is perfectly accurate in the measurements of
higher Z-elements (Rb, Sr, Zr for trace elements; Co, Fe,
Mn for blue pigment). The homogeneity of the structure
promotes the efficiency of the portable XRF. The on-site
analyses with portable XRF instruments at the museums
and/or art galleries may enable creating a database, which
includes the weight percent of elements found in the glaze
and colored areas, and if possible in the bodies in order to
clarify the questions of provenance and authenticity.
Acknowledgments
Noyan O
¨zdemir and Tuna Erog
˘lu from TROY-MET (Istanbul) is
gratefully acknowledged for making Hitachi X-MET 8000 Expert
Geo portable XRF instrument available in KUYTAM (Koc¸
University Surface Science and Technology Center), Buket Alkan
for her assistance in the revision of the manuscript, Tug
˘c¸e Akkas¸
for the literature research, and Dr. Philippe Colomban for his
valuable contributions. The studied sherds were provided by
ASET Stiftung in May and July 2016.
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with
respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this
article.
Funding
This work was supported by the Scientific and Technological
Research Council of Turkey (TU
¨Bl
.TAK) through 1001-Scientific
and Technological Research Projects Funding Program (Grant
No: MAG 217M625).
ORCID iD
Gulsu Simsek Franci https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9050-5819
Supplemental Material
The supplemental material mentioned in the text, consisting of
Figs. S1 to S4 and Tables S1 to S4, is available in the online version
of the journal.
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