Using Chemical Fingerprints to Reveal Trade... Slowly
Monday, September 17, 2007
 
Keywords: bitumen, organic chemistry, mass spectrometry, gas chromatography Summary: Sourcing bitumen used by Olmecs is discussed in this article, focusing in particular on the experience of a student working on the research project. The student is using mass spectrometry and gas chromatography to find characteristic chemical signatures of the bitumen... and it is a lot of tedious work. Finally an article about the boring sample-preparation techniques and long hours involved in sourcing studies! Above image: Canadian bitumen after mined from deposits in Alberta, Canada. Credit: Suncor. Excerpt from the Daily Titan: Ancient Civilization Trading Secrets Revealed By Karl Zynda Patience is key for measuring the trade system thoroughly. History and chemistry are intersecting on the lowlands of the coastal region of southern Mexico. From Cal State Fullerton, Tuan Vu is using the lab equipment in Dan Black Hall to put a magnifying glass on a long-lost culture. Archaeological and chemical studies are merging to decipher what tar samples can tell about an ancient civilization's trade habits. Vu, 25, is a history major who is currently completing a minor at CSUF in chemistry. He is one of three students working on applying chemical analysis to bitumen samples. The testing is part of an archaeological project conducted by CSUF professors Carl Wendt and Scott Hewitt. Vu originally decided to enroll in CSUF because of its good teaching credential program. He declared history as a major, hoping to become a history teacher. After earning his history degree, he changed his mind about teaching. He decided to earn a minor in chemistry, hoping instead to become a pharmacologist. Vu said he would like to apply to pharmacology programs at USC and Ohio State, which are his two top choices for school. The project he worked on over the summer was about the trading of bitumen in ancient civilizations. Bitumen, or asphalt, was used by the Olmecs, a people who lived in the south Gulf region of what is Mexico today. They predated the later Aztec and Maya civilizations. The Olmec are best known for crafting sculptures of colossal heads. The tribe used bitumen for waterproofing boats, for building material, for trade and possibly as an adhesive. Wendt said that while beliefs about Olmec trade have been based upon conjecture and comparison, until now, this study can provide real data. . . To read the rest of the article, please visit the Daily Titan website: http://media.www.dailytitan.com/media/storage/paper861/news/2007/09/17/News/Ancient.Civilization.Trading.Secrets.Revealed-2971876.shtmlhttp://media.www.dailytitan.com/media/storage/paper861/news/2007/09/17/News/Ancient.Civilization.Trading.Secrets.Revealed-2971876.shtmlshapeimage_2_link_0
 
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Blog Author: Ellery Frahm