Laboratories

At the Medieval Archaeology Laboratory of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona studies of materials and human remains from different archaeological sites can be carried out.

The laboratory is equiped with several instruments such as the Laser Aider Profiler, a tool that allows us to draw archaeological material efficiently and accurately. In addition, it is equipped with an integrated camera to complement the archaeological illustrations with high resolution images of ceramics.

Furthermore, there is a microscopy equipment consisting of a trinocular microscope Optika B-383POL with Optika C-B18+ mpx camera with 16 Mp CMOS colour sensor and a stereoscope with triple magnification factor and integrated digital camera Optika SFX-91D. The microscopy equipment is used for different purposes: to study ceramic paste compositions and characterize stone materials.

Finally, the laboratory has equipment for field work such as drones, optical levels, GPSs and all the necessary tools to carry out archaeological excavations.

Within the Department of Medieval History and Historiographic Sciences at the University of Granada, the Archaeological Material Analysis Laboratory stands as a pivotal hub for scholarly investigation. Here, rigorous research converges with historical inquiry, shaping our understanding of the past.

MEDGREENREV finds its home within these walls. The laboratory’s core mission revolves around the meticulous examination and analysis of diverse archaeological materials:

• Ceramics: These fragments of ancient pottery reveal insights into vanished medieval societies —shapes, glazes, and imprints hinting at daily life and trade networks.
• Osseous Remains (Primarily Fauna): Bones, teeth, and antlers silently chronicle epochs gone by. Fauna remnants offer clues about ecosystems, human-animal interactions, and dietary practices.
• Metal Artifacts: Rusty nails, ornate brooches, and domestic tools—all carry historical weight. Our experts scrutinize these metallic remnants, tracing their origins and significance.
• Carpological Finds: Seeds, grains, and plant fragments—tiny capsules preserved in soil. Through carpology, we reconstruct ancient diets, agricultural practices, and environmental shifts.

Amidst microscopes and scholarly discourse, this unassuming laboratory breathes life into medieval history, being one of the first steps within the MEDGREENREV project.

The laboratories at the Universität Basel are managed by the Research Group Quaternary Geology. The laboratories include: a Thin Section Laboratory, The Speleothem Archive, Digital Image Analysis Laboratory, Sample Preparation Laboratories and Stable Isotope Laboratory.

Thin Section Laboratory

The thin section lab is equipped to produce a wide variety of high-quality polished thin and thick sections. The lab is equipped with a wide range of instruments for thin section preparation, including slab saws, trim saws, grinders, epoxy impregnation stations, lapping machines, and polishing machines. Sections from soft sediments, hard rocks, minerals and soils can be produced.

Cutting

• Brotlab Cutting and Slabbing Saw, diamond discs ranging from 300 mm to 500 mm in diameter
• Lortone TS10-C Trim Saw
• Metkon Servocut 301-MA Thin section Cut-Off and Trim Saw
• IsoMet Low Speed Precision Cutter
• 2 x Presi Precision Diamond Wire Saws
• 1 x Diamond WireTec Diamond Wire Saw 250E

Grinding

• 2 x BrotLab Lapping Machine
• Logitech LP50 Lapper/Polisher

Polishing

• Brotlab Polishing Machine
• 4 x Struers Polishing Machine

The Speleothem Archive

All samples are archived in the large (55 m2) speleothem archive, where sample slabs can be displayed and sorted for subsequent sampling. In this room, the caving equipment is stored and maintained.

Digital Image Analysis Laboratory

The group has a Keyence Digital Microscope VHX-7000 (4k) and VHX-S770E motorized stage to take images of stalagmites and thin sections. Digital Image analysis allows us to measure the thickness of annual growth bands and distribution of fluid inclusions within a stalagmite. 

Sample Preparation Laboratories

Samples for stable isotope analysis are prepared in a special laboratory, which are equipped with various micromills and balances.

• Mettler Toledo Microbalances
• 3 Sherline Digital Micromills & Elemental Scientific Micro Mill2
• Fume Hood

Stable Isotope Laboratory

The new state-off-the-art isotope Laboratory (BaQUIL) was established in 2019 and consists of:

• Thermo Scientific Delta Plus and GasBench II for stable isotope analysis on calcites
• Thermo Scientific Delta Ray & Autosampler
• Picarro L2140-i for stable isotope analysis of speleothem fluid inclusions
• Picarro L2130-i for stable isotope analysis of speleothem fluid inclusions