{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,18]],"date-time":"2026-01-18T11:44:42Z","timestamp":1768736682913,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,6]],"date-time":"2023-05-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1683331200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"National Funds through FCT (Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia)","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["2022.02608.PTDC"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2022.02608.PTDC"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"National Funds through FCT (Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia)","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UIDB\/50025\/2020\u20132023"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/50025\/2020\u20132023"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Heritage"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The use of gold for artefact productions underwent substantial developments during Iron Age in western Europe, with the diversification of alloy compositions and the introduction of new technologies and aesthetics. This work presents a detailed study of a Late Iron Age earring from the western Iberian Peninsula and a discussion taking into consideration the alloys and technologies used at the time. The earring has a complex structure, composed of block- and strip-twisted wires and granulation. Characterization by multifocus optical microscopy, portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF), micro-XRF and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) were performed to obtain information on the chemical composition and manufacturing techniques. Results show that the earring was manufactured with wires and granules made of a silver-rich alloy, covered with a gold-rich layer 45 \u03bcm thick on average, which acted as an external coating making the entire earring resemble gold. This is a rare example of an Iron Age gilded earring, and its detailed study provides further information on the manufacturing solutions adopted by the Iron Age goldsmiths.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/heritage6050220","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,8]],"date-time":"2023-05-08T04:04:48Z","timestamp":1683518688000},"page":"4187-4201","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Study of an Iron Age Gilded Silver Earring by XRF, SEM-EDS and Multifocus OM"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"6","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0373-8153","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sofia","family":"Serrano","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Materiais (CENIMAT\/i3N), School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4688-7159","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alexandra","family":"Rodrigues","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vidro e Cer\u00e2mica para as Artes (VICARTE), School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0914-8517","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rui J. C.","family":"Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Materiais (CENIMAT\/i3N), School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4821-3895","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elin","family":"Figueiredo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o de Materiais (CENIMAT\/i3N), School of Science and Technology, NOVA University of Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"1","article-title":"Plano-convex ingots and precious metalwork in northwestern Iberia during the Late Iron Age and Early Roman period: An analytical approach","volume":"78","author":"Armada","year":"2021","journal-title":"Archaeol. Anthropol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Armbruster, B., and Parreira, R. (1993). Invent\u00e1rio do Museu Nacional de Arqueologia: Cole\u00e7\u00e3o de Ourivesaria \u2013 do Calcol\u00edtico \u00e0 Idade do Bronze."},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"5","article-title":"Das origens e t\u00e9cnica do trabalho do ouro e sua rela\u00e7\u00e3o com a joalharia arcaica peninsular","volume":"67","author":"Cardoso","year":"1957","journal-title":"Rev. De Guimar\u00e3es"},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Perea, A. (1991). Orfebrer\u00eda Prerromana: Arqueologia del Oro, Caja de Madrid. [1st ed.]."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Armbruster, B. (2021). Les ors de l\u2019Europe Atlantique \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e2ge du Bronze\u2014Technologie et Ateliers, Association des Publications Chauvinoises (A.P.C.)."},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"103","article-title":"Analytical study of Bronze Age goldwork from Northwest Iberia","volume":"39","author":"Guerra","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Archaeol. Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nimb.2012.11.053","article-title":"The role of nuclear microprobes in the study of technology, provenance and corrosion of cultural heritage: The case of gold and silver items","volume":"306","author":"Guerra","year":"2013","journal-title":"Nucl. Instruments Methods Phys. Res. Sect. B Beam Interact. Mater. Atoms"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.3989\/tp.2000.v57.i1.262","article-title":"Macizo\/Hueco, Soldado\/Fundido, Morfolog\u00eda\/ Tecnolog\u00eda. El \u00e1mbito Tecnol\u00f3gico Castre\u00f1o a trav\u00e9s de los torques con remates en doble escocia","volume":"57","author":"Armbruster","year":"2000","journal-title":"Trab. Prehist."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Perea, A., and Garc\u00eda-Vuelta, \u00d3. (2012). Historical Technology, Materials and Conservation: SEM and Microanalysis, Archetype Books."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"931","DOI":"10.1016\/S0892-6875(01)00103-0","article-title":"A review of the flotation of native gold and electrum","volume":"14","author":"Allan","year":"2001","journal-title":"Miner. Eng."},{"key":"ref_11","first-page":"163","article-title":"El Oro y sus aleaciones en la Orfebrer\u00eda Prerromana","volume":"64","author":"Montero","year":"1991","journal-title":"Arch. Espa\u00f1Ol Arqueol."},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Armada, X.L., and Garc\u00eda-Vuelta, \u00d3. (2018). Early Iron Age Gold in Celtic Europe: Society, Technology and Archaeometry, Verlag Marie Leidorf GmbH."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s00339-016-0354-7","article-title":"Metal alloys, matrix inclusions and manufacturing techniques of Moinhos de Golas collection (North Portugal): A study by micro-EDXRF, SEM-EDS, optical microscopy and X-Ray radiography","volume":"122","author":"Loureiro","year":"2016","journal-title":"Appl. Phys. A"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1061","DOI":"10.1017\/S1431927619014582","article-title":"Microanalytical Study of Ancient Gold Jewelry: Mediterranean Impact on the Early Iron Age Technology in Southwestern Iberia","volume":"25","author":"Silva","year":"2019","journal-title":"Microsc. Microanal."},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"Virg\u00edlio, H.C., Parreira, R., and Silva, A.C.F. (2013). Ourivesaria Arcaica em Portugal: O Brilho do Poder."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"283","DOI":"10.1007\/s00604-009-0284-6","article-title":"Identification of ancient gilding technology and Late Bronze Age metallurgy by EDXRF, Micro-EDXRF, SEM-EDS and metallographic techniques","volume":"168","author":"Figueiredo","year":"2010","journal-title":"Microchim. Acta"},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Garc\u00eda, A. (2018). A Colecci\u00f3n de Ouriver\u00eda Antiga do Museo Provincial de Lugo, Servizo de Publicaci\u00f3ns da Deputaci\u00f3n de Lugo. [1st ed.]."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"501","DOI":"10.3989\/tp.2010.10053","article-title":"Early Iron Age gold buttons from Southwestern Iberian Peninsula, identification of a gold metallurgical workshop","volume":"67","author":"Silva","year":"2010","journal-title":"Trab. Prehist."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1002\/xrs.2628","article-title":"Bronze Age and Iron Age gold torcs and earrings from the Iberian Atlantic fa\u00e7ade: A non-invasive multi-analytical approach to the characterisation of the alloys and the corrosion","volume":"45","author":"Guerra","year":"2015","journal-title":"X-Ray Spectrom."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"163","DOI":"10.3989\/tp.2020.12252","article-title":"Orfebrer\u00eda Castre\u00f1a en el Museo Arqueol\u00f3gico de Asturias (Oviedo): Aproximaci\u00f3n a su caracterizaci\u00f3n arqueom\u00e9trica y problemas de est\u00fadio","volume":"77","year":"2020","journal-title":"Trab. Prehist."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"740","DOI":"10.1080\/10426914.2016.1232818","article-title":"Characterization of cores and organic remains in Iron Age gold objects: The Recouso treasure","volume":"32","author":"Armada","year":"2017","journal-title":"Mater. Manuf. Process."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"548","DOI":"10.2307\/504114","article-title":"Etruscan filigree: Welding techniques of two gold bracelets from Vetulonia","volume":"87","author":"Mello","year":"1983","journal-title":"Am. J. Archaeol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Effenberg, G., and Ilyenko, S. (2006). Noble Metal Systems: Selected systems from Ag-Al-Zn to Rh-Ru-Sc, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/b96200"},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"Guerra, M.F., and Tissot, I. (2013). A Ourivesaria Pr\u00e9-Hist\u00f3rica do Ocidente Peninsular Atl\u00e2ntico: Compreender Para Preservar, Louresgr\u00e1fica. Projeto AuCORRE."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"Vitobello, M.L., Rehren, T., Vitobello, M.L., and Rehren, T. (2009). A quest for authenticity, Institute of Archaeology."},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"95","article-title":"Classical gold wire: Some aspects of its manufacture and use","volume":"5","author":"Ogden","year":"1991","journal-title":"Jewel. Stud."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Garc\u00eda Castro, J.A. (1989). El Oro en la Espa\u00f1a Prerromana: Arqueologia del Oro, Caja de Madrid."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"Taylor, J. (1980). Bronze Age Goldwork of the British Isles, Cambridge University Press."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"194","DOI":"10.1179\/sic.1983.28.4.194","article-title":"The deterioration of gold alloys and some aspects of their conservation","volume":"28","author":"Scott","year":"1983","journal-title":"Stud. Conserv."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1248","DOI":"10.1017\/S1431927613001608","article-title":"Multifocus Optical Microscopy Applied to the Study of Archaeological Metals","volume":"19","author":"Figueiredo","year":"2013","journal-title":"Microsc. Microanal."},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"Garc\u00eda, A. (1977). X-ray Microfluorescence Analysis Applied to Archaeology, Proceedings of the Symposium PACT 1, Conseil de l\u2019Europe, Assembl\u00e9e parlementaire."},{"key":"ref_32","unstructured":"Garc\u00eda, A. (1977). X-ray Microfluorescence Analysis Applied to Archaeology, Proceedings of the Symposium PACT 1, Conseil de l\u2019Europe, Assembl\u00e9e parlementaire."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"Bandyopadhyay, P., and Segre, C.U. (2023, January 17). Mucal on the Web. Available online: http:\/\/www.csrri.iit.edu\/mucal.html."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Goldstein, J., Newbury, D., Echlin, P., Joy, D., Lyman, C., Lifshin, E., Sawyer, L., and Michael, J. (2003). Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Microanalysis, Kluwer Academic\/Plenum Publishers. [3rd ed.].","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4615-0215-9"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"365","DOI":"10.1016\/0305-4403(75)90007-2","article-title":"The Origins of Mercury Gilding","volume":"2","author":"Lins","year":"1975","journal-title":"J. Archaeol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"117","article-title":"Origen y trayectoria de una t\u00e9cnica esquiva: El dorado sobre metal","volume":"65","author":"Perea","year":"2008","journal-title":"Trab. Prehist."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"187","DOI":"10.3989\/tp.2011.11066","article-title":"Or\u00edgenes del dorado por amalgama: Aportaciones desde la orfebrer\u00eda protohist\u00f3rica del noroeste de la Pen\u00ednsula Ib\u00e9rica","volume":"68","author":"Ladra","year":"2011","journal-title":"Trab. Prehist."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"439","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jas.2012.07.020","article-title":"Bronze production in Southwestern Iberian Peninsula: The Late Bronze Age metallurgical workshop from Entre \u00c1guas 5 (Portugal)","volume":"40","author":"Silva","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Archaeol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"251","DOI":"10.1002\/xrs.2482","article-title":"Identification of soldering and welding processes in ancient gold jewelry by micro-XRF spectroscopy","volume":"42","author":"Scrivano","year":"2013","journal-title":"X-ray Spectrom."}],"container-title":["Heritage"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2571-9408\/6\/5\/220\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T19:30:30Z","timestamp":1760124630000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2571-9408\/6\/5\/220"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,6]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,5]]}},"alternative-id":["heritage6050220"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/heritage6050220","relation":{},"ISSN":["2571-9408"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2571-9408","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,6]]}}}