The laboratory of Thessaloniki

Simo Spassov

The temporary record of the Earth's magnetic field intensity in Greece is solely based on material from archaeological sites. Data from historical lava flows on Santorini would complete the Greek data set and provide additional control points. Within this frame, eight lava flows ranging in time from 46 AD until 1950 AD and volcanic clasts from the Minoan eruption 1640 BC were sampled. Archaeological material from Hellenistic pottery kilns has been sampled, too. Magnetic remanence carrying minerals often alter during thermal treatments, such as during the procedure for determination of the ancient magnetic field. The samples were tested for thermal stability (thermomagnetic analyses of magnetic susceptibility and magnetic remanence). First results show that the lava samples are thermally stable and may be useful for absolute ancient field intensity determination. The archaeological material is thermally stable, too. In a next step the absolute ancient field intensity will be determined using Thellier-Thellier and microwave analysis.

Emanuela De Marco

The Greek secular variation curve is not very well defined, concerning declination and inclination measurements. The primary activity is to study archaeomagnetic directions of many kilns in Greece, in order to construct, a temporary record of geomagnetic field directions, which can be used in future for archaeomagnetic dating in Greece. Until now four archaeological sites have been sampled in Northern Greece; they belong to the Classical - Hellenistic period , so the time span under investigation ranges from the 4th to the 1st centuries BC. The results of the archaeomagnetic directions that have been recorded by these burnt clay materials (like pottery and ceramic bricks and tiles, but mostly high fired wall- and floor-materials from kilns and hearts), as well as the rock-magnetic properties, reveals that these materials is very suitable for archaeomagnetic study. At the same time, data from previous works on archaeomagnetic directions in Greece are compiled, in order to fulfill the database.

Role in the Network	Main speciality research areas: rock magnetism, prospection, remanence acquisition, geomagnetic secular variation and archaeological reconstructions and applications. Other factors: Located in a key area for Classical (pre Greek to post Roman) and Byzantine times. Thessaloniki hosted the AARCH Workshop 2 (29. 03. - 01. 04. 2004).
Research Linkage	Links with Sofia, Bulgaria; Plymouth, UK; Leoben, Austria. Co-operative links with I.P.G. (Strasbourg), E.N.S. (Paris) and Rome (Roma Tre).
Senior Scientist	Prof. D. Kondopoulou (e-mail: despi@geo.auth.gr, Tel.: 00302310998485, Fax: 00302310998485)
Young researchers	Dr. Simo Spassov (finished, now at Centre de Physique du Globe de l'IRM, Dourbes, Belgium), Emanuela de Marco
Projects	Simo Spassov The temporary record of the Earth's magnetic field intensity in Greece is solely based on material from archaeological sites. Data from historical lava flows on Santorini would complete the Greek data set and provide additional control points. Within this frame, eight lava flows ranging in time from 46 AD until 1950 AD and volcanic clasts from the Minoan eruption 1640 BC were sampled. Archaeological material from Hellenistic pottery kilns has been sampled, too. Magnetic remanence carrying minerals often alter during thermal treatments, such as during the procedure for determination of the ancient magnetic field. The samples were tested for thermal stability (thermomagnetic analyses of magnetic susceptibility and magnetic remanence). First results show that the lava samples are thermally stable and may be useful for absolute ancient field intensity determination. The archaeological material is thermally stable, too. In a next step the absolute ancient field intensity will be determined using Thellier-Thellier and microwave analysis. Emanuela De Marco The Greek secular variation curve is not very well defined, concerning declination and inclination measurements. The primary activity is to study archaeomagnetic directions of many kilns in Greece, in order to construct, a temporary record of geomagnetic field directions, which can be used in future for archaeomagnetic dating in Greece. Until now four archaeological sites have been sampled in Northern Greece; they belong to the Classical - Hellenistic period , so the time span under investigation ranges from the 4th to the 1st centuries BC. The results of the archaeomagnetic directions that have been recorded by these burnt clay materials (like pottery and ceramic bricks and tiles, but mostly high fired wall- and floor-materials from kilns and hearts), as well as the rock-magnetic properties, reveals that these materials is very suitable for archaeomagnetic study. At the same time, data from previous works on archaeomagnetic directions in Greece are compiled, in order to fulfill the database.
Recent Publications	Tarling, D.H., Kondopoulou, D., Soles, J.S. and V. Spatharas, Minoan Directional Archaeomagnetic Data from LMIB Sites at Mochlos and Kalinomouri, Crete. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 5, 3963, 2003. Kovacheva, M., Spatharas, V. and I. Liritzis, New archaeointensity results from Greek materials, Archaeometry, 42, 415-429, 2000. Spatharas, S., Kondopoulou, D., Liritzis, I. and G.Tsokas, Archaeointensity results from two ceramics kilns from Northern Greece, Journal Balkan Geophysical Society, 3, 67-72, 2000.
Web-Link	http://lemnos.geo.auth.gr/index_en.html