“This work set out to compile all possible data on lead isotopes in the Iberian Peninsula and to make them accessible to everyone; the data have a set of geological criteria, whereby the mines can be separated by the area in which they appear, by the type of material, etc,” said Sonia García de Madinabeitia, author of the work.
“One of the applications of lead isotope analyses is to try to associate archaeological remains, samples produced by humans in ancient times, with deposits and ores, i.e. with the spot where the metal was extracted. To this end, it is essential to obtain a lot of data and to have a database for comparison purposes,” explained García de Madinabeitia.
In the end, “the aim of any database,” said the researcher, “is to have as comprehensive and detailed a collection of comparable samples and results as possible.
“IBERLID brings together about 3000 lead isotopic analyses originating from more than 140 different references. The database includes results on minerals, rocks and metallic archaeological objects, which are standardised to allow samples to be selected, grouped and traced,” added the researcher from the UPV/EHU’s Department of Geology. [Read more…] about A database of 3,000 lead isotope analyses in geological and archaeological samples from the Iberian Peninsula