Accompanying CD-ROM titled: "Short course volume 29, 2001 (to accompany Short course 40, 2008)".

This volume brings together for the first time a collection of papers that specifically describe laser ablation, methods for data quantification, and applications to archaeological questions.

This book explores different aspects of LA-ICP-MS (laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry). It presents a large array of new analytical protocols for elemental or isotope analysis. LA-ICP-MS is a powerful tool that combines a sampling device able to remove very small quantities of material without leaving visible damage at the surface of an object. Furthermore, it functions as a sensitive analytical instrument that measures, within a few seconds, a wide range of isotopes in inorganic samples. Determining the elemental or the isotopic composition of ancient material is essential to address questions related to ancient technology or provenance and therefore aids archaeologists in reconstructing exchange networks for goods, people and ideas. Recent improvements of LA-ICP-MS have opened new avenues of research that are explored in this volume.

Accompanying CD-ROM titled: "Short course volume 29, 2001 (to accompany Short course 40, 2008)".

Edited by two very well-known and respected scientists in the field, this excellent practical guide is the first to cover the fundamentals and a wide range of applications, as well as showing readers how to efficiently use this increasingly important technique. From the contents: * The Isotopic Composition of the Elements * Single-Collector ICP-MS * Multi-Collector ICP-MS * Advances in Laser Ablation - Multi-Collector ICP-MS * Correction for Instrumental Mass Discrimination in Isotope Ratio Determination with Multi-Collector ICP-MS * Reference Materials in Isotopic Analysis * Quality Control in Isotope Ratio Applications * Determination of Trace Elements and Elemental Species Using Isotope Dilution ICP-MS * Geochronological Dating * Application of Multi-Collector ICP-MS to Isotopic Analysis in Cosmochemistry * Establishing the Basis for Using Stable Isotope Ratios of Metals as Paleoredox Proxies * Isotopes as Tracers of Elements Across the Geosphere-Biosphere Interface * Archaeometric Applications * Forensics Applications * Nuclear Applications * The Use of Stable Isotope Techniques for Studying Mineral and Trace Element Metabolism in Humans * Isotopic Analysis via Multi-Collector ICP-MS in Elemental Speciation A must-have for newcomers as well as established scientists seeking an overview of isotopic analysis via ICP-MS.

The first scientific volume to compile the modern analytical techniques for glass analysis, Modern Methods for Analysing Archaeological and Historical Glass presents an up-to-date description of the physico-chemical methods suitable for determining the composition of glass and for speciation of specific components. This unique resource presents members of Association Internationale pour l'Histoire du Verre, as well as university scholars, with a number of case studies where the effective use of one or more of these methods for elucidating a particular culturo-historical or historo-technical aspect of glass manufacturing technology is documented.