First Evidence of “Earth Wax” Inside the Casting Molds from the Roman Era

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Authors

JAGOŠOVÁ Klára JÍLEK Jan FOJTÍK Pavel ČIŽMÁŘ Ivan POPELKA Miroslav KURKA Ondřej KUČERA Lukáš

Year of publication 2021
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source Molecules
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Arts

Citation
Web Full text
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules26144259
Keywords earth wax; ceresin; soot; X-ray fluorescence; gas chromatography; Roman era; mold; mass spectrometry; ion mobility
Description This research was focused on the analysis of material composition and organic residues present in three molds found in the Moravian region (Czech Republic) belonging to the Roman era. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy pointed out the possible remelting of Roman objects in Barbarian territory. The analysis of organic residues retrieved from the internal part of mold #2 by pyrolysisgas chromatography/mass spectrometry proved the presence of ozokerite wax (“earth wax”). Consequent analysis of this organic residue by Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe–ion mobility spectrometry– high-resolution mass spectrometry (ASAP-IMS-HRMS) confirmed the presence of ceresin, the main component of ozokerite. Ceresin was also detected in a sample of the organic residue from mold #1. Note that this is the first application of ASAP-IMS-HRMS in archaeological research. The remains of earth wax in molds suggest the production of wax models as an intermediate stage for the production of lost-wax ceramic casting molds.
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