A curious clinker

Julian Henderson; Robert Janaway; Julian Richards

doi:10.1016/0305-4403(87)90025-2

A curious clinker

Julian Henderson, Robert Janaway, Julian Richards

Research output: Journal Publication › Article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper investigates a substance found in some Anglo-Saxon cremation urns which has previously been described as "hair slag". The results of a series of visual and physical examinations are described. These show that it is highly siliceous and, therefore, unlikely to be derived from human hair. A number of alternative sources are considered and the mechanisms operating within the pyre are discussed. The most abundant source of silica in the pyre environment is the sandy substrate which may have been combined with material from the pyre during combustion.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	353-365
Number of pages	13
Journal	Journal of Archaeological Science
Volume	14
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-4403(87)90025-2
Publication status	Published - Jul 1987
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Anglo-saxon
clinker
cremation
hair
scanning electron microscopy
slag
x-ray diffraction
x-ray fluorescence

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Archaeology
Archaeology

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10.1016/0305-4403(87)90025-2

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title = "A curious clinker",

abstract = "This paper investigates a substance found in some Anglo-Saxon cremation urns which has previously been described as {"}hair slag{"}. The results of a series of visual and physical examinations are described. These show that it is highly siliceous and, therefore, unlikely to be derived from human hair. A number of alternative sources are considered and the mechanisms operating within the pyre are discussed. The most abundant source of silica in the pyre environment is the sandy substrate which may have been combined with material from the pyre during combustion.",

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author = "Julian Henderson and Robert Janaway and Julian Richards",

year = "1987",

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volume = "14",

pages = "353--365",

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T1 - A curious clinker

AU - Henderson, Julian

AU - Janaway, Robert

AU - Richards, Julian

PY - 1987/7

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AB - This paper investigates a substance found in some Anglo-Saxon cremation urns which has previously been described as "hair slag". The results of a series of visual and physical examinations are described. These show that it is highly siliceous and, therefore, unlikely to be derived from human hair. A number of alternative sources are considered and the mechanisms operating within the pyre are discussed. The most abundant source of silica in the pyre environment is the sandy substrate which may have been combined with material from the pyre during combustion.

KW - Anglo-saxon

KW - clinker

KW - cremation

KW - hair

KW - scanning electron microscopy

KW - slag

KW - x-ray diffraction

KW - x-ray fluorescence

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=38249036874&partnerID=8YFLogxK

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DO - 10.1016/0305-4403(87)90025-2

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SN - 0305-4403

VL - 14

SP - 353

EP - 365

JO - Journal of Archaeological Science

JF - Journal of Archaeological Science

IS - 4

ER -

A curious clinker

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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