ARCHAEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS AND ARCHAEOMETRIC APPROACH XRF chemical analysis. Clinopyroxenes chemical composition (EDS analysis) for magmatic province identification [5] Local production or imported products (original) (raw)
Gluhak Rosenberg2018 Archaeometry
The success of provenance analyses of basaltic rock artefacts relies on the availability of comprehensive geochemical-mineralogical data from samples of geological occurrences in order to facilitate a detailed comparison of artefacts and potential raw material sources. We present new results of a geochemical study of Neogene basaltic rocks in Lower and Upper Galilee, the Jordan Valley, the Hula Basin and the western Golan Heights. The results are intended to serve as a geological reference database for provenance analyses. We discuss the implications of these new geochemical data for the different approaches of previous provenance studies.
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 25/1 (August 2019)
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica, 2019
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 25/1 (August 2019) http://saa.uaic.ro/issues/xxv-1/ CUPRINS – CONTENTS – SOMMAIRE ARTICLES — Sedat BARALIU & Ilir MUHARREMI —— Les importations grecques dans le territoire de Kosovo — Valerii KAVRUK, Dan ȘTEFAN, Marius ALEXIANU, Viorica VASILACHE —— A salt production site at Gherla–Valea Sărată (Transylvania). Preliminary report — Alexei BORISOVICH EGOROV —— The notion of justice in Roman wars and the fetial law — Nadezhda S. SHIROKOVA —— The cult of Mercury in Roman Gaul and Roman Britain — Lucrețiu MIHAILESCU-BÎRLIBA —— La population dans le milieu rural de Capidava — Svetla PETROVA —— The votive relief to Pluto from Nicopolis ad Nestum — Radu PETCU —— Swastika-shaped fibulae with horse-head decorations (Almgren 232) from the Roman period in Dobrudja (Moesia Inferior) — Marian MOCANU —— ESB in Western Black Sea — Firas ALAWNEH, Abdelrahman ELSEROGY, Rita Sulaiman AL DAWOOD —— The conservation of the byzantine icon from Georgios Church, Jordan — Marta LICATA, Silvia IORIO, Chiara ROSSETTI, Giuseppe ARMOCIDA, Adelaide TOSI, Francesco MUSCOLINO, Antonio CELLINA, Roberto MELLA PARIANI, Ilaria GORINI, Melania BORGO, Paola BADINO —— The medieval church of San Biagio in Cittiglio (Varese, Northern Italy). Archaeological and anthropological investigations of the cemeterial area — Kamal Aldin NIKNAMi, Reza GHASEMI, Rezvan REZAEI —— A study on the Seleucid and Parthian seals of the Semnan Museum, Iran — Policarp HORTOLÀ A multilingual Romance-language lexicon for manufactured objects — Patrizia MASCOLI —— Sidonio Apollinare nella manualistica letteraria di età umanistica REVIEWS — A. Tomas, Inter Moesos et Thraces: The Rural Hinterland of Novae in Lower Moesia (1st–6th Centuries AD) (Rada VARGA)
An archaeometric study of all the Roman millstones preserved today in the National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia, the ancient capital of the X Regio Augustea -'Venetia et Histria' located on the Friuli plain (northeastern Italy), has been recently envisaged to define their geological-geographical provenance. We present here the results of the first step of the research, which is aimed at characterizing all of the definitely allochthonous lithologies. In order to carry out petrography on thin-section and geochemical analyses, 10 small samples were picked out directly from Pompeian-style millstones (catilli and/or metae) and rotary querns. Five different lithologies originating in various Italian regions were recognized: eight samples consist of pale-and dark-grey lavas from the Venetian Volcanic Province, Vulsini Volcanic District (Latium), Etna Volcano and Pantelleria island (Sicily), whereas two samples were shown to be made of green garnet-bearing schists (pietra ollare) from the Western Italian Alps. The presence of Alpine pietra ollare in northeastern Italy, used to produce pots and food containers, was established for numerous classical findings at Roman and Middle Age sites, but the analysed items represent the first evidence for the utilization of this kind of stone to produce mills during the Roman epoch.
Geochemical characterization of Quaternary tephras from the Campanian Province, Italy
Quaternary International, 2008
The Campanian province has a rich history of human interaction with volcanic eruptions. In a region currently inhabited by 3 million people, it is crucial to have precise and accurate geochemical characterization of volcanic units within the region so as to identify the spatial distribution of past events. Furthermore, tephrochronology is becoming an important tool in the region for correlating past environmental records. Unfortunately, many of the key units have been geochemically analysed using relatively imprecise methods, making correlation problematic. Although robust correlations have been established in the Campanian province using a range of methods, including stratigraphy and geochronology, more distal correlation requires precise geochemical characterisation of individual glass shards. Here we report major oxide data, geochemically characterising 17 key tephra units within the Campanian province using wavelength dispersive spectrometry (WDS). The new data confirm the trachytic nature of most of the eruptions. To effect more precise correlations between units (especially in distal locations), proximal units must be individually analysed for major oxides using WDS on the vitreous phase, and statistically analysed for robust correlations. In cases where similar geochemistry exists, analysis of trace and rare earth elements may be necessary. r
2013 Archaeometallurgical finds and analytical results.
In M. Given, A.B. Knapp, L.Sollars, J. Noller and V. Kassianidou, Landscape and Interaction. The Troodos Archaeological & Environmental Survey Project, Cyprus. Volume 1 Methodology, Analysis and Interpretation. Levant Supplementary Series Volume 14. Oxford and Oakville: CBRL - Oxbow Books. 237–252., 2013
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 25/2 (December 2019)
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica, 2020
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 25/1 (August 2019) http://saa.uaic.ro/issues/xxv-1/ CUPRINS – CONTENTS – SOMMAIRE PAPERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE Genealogies in the Ancient World Tartu (Estonia) 2016 —Sebastian FINK & Vladimir SAZONOV ——Introduction —Sebastian FINK & Vladimir SAZONOV ——Complex Genealogies in Mesopotamia: From Mesilim to Tukultī-Ninurta I —Siim MÕTTUS ——On the Lineage of King Telepinu —Mait KÕIV ——Manipulating Genealogies: Pheidon of Argos and the Stemmas of the Argive, Macedonian, Spartan and Median Kings —Jakub KUCIAK ——Der Mythos im Dienst der Politik: das Beispiel der euripideischen Tragödie Ion —Stephan SCHARINGER ——A Genealogy of Pythagoras —Tarmo KULMAR ——The Origin Myths as a Possible Basis for Genealogy of the Inca Imperial Dynasty in Ancient Peru ARTICLES —Radu-Ștefan BALAUR ——Community Structure, Economy and Sharing Strategies in the Chalcolithic Settlement of Hăbășești, Romania —Casandra BRAȘOVEANU ——Settlement Spatial Distribution from Late Chalcolithic to Early Hallstatt. Case Study: Cracău-Bistrița Depression —Anna LAZAROU ——Prehistoric Gorgoneia: a Critical Reassessment —Alexandr LOGINOV & Vladimir SHELESTIN ——La perception du sceptre en Grèce de l’époque d’Homère et de Mycènes à la lumière des parallèles de l’Orient Antique —Larisa PECHATNOVA ——Die Hypomeiones in Sparta —Elena NIKITYUK ——Kalokagathia: to a Question on Formation of an Image of the Ideal Person in Antiquity and During Modern Time —Maxim M. KHOLOD ——On the Representation and Self-representation of the Argead Rulers (before Alexander the Great): the Title Basileus —Dragana NIKOLIĆ ——Stoneworkers’ Hercules. A Comment on an Upper Moesian Inscription —José María ZAMORA CALVO ——Remarks on the so-called Plotinus’ Sarcophagus (‘Vatican Museums’, inv. 9504) —Cornel BALLA ——Some Considerations on the Praefectus ripae legionis primae Ioviae cohortis et secundae Herculiae musculorum Scythicorum et classis in plateypegiis —Felix-Adrian TENCARIU & Andrei ASĂNDULESEI ——‘Rock Salt Around the Clock’. Ethnoarchaeological Research Concerning Traditional Extraction of Salt for Animal Consumption
Martin Giesso 2020 Archaeometry
XRF OBSIDIAN ANALYSIS FROM AYACUCHO BASIN IN HUAMANGA PROVINCE , SOUTH-EASTERN PERU, 2020
Obsidian was broadly used along the Andean Cordillera in South America. Particularly in Peru, its use can be traced to the earliest human occupations, continuously through pre-Columbian times to contemporary Andean agro-pastoralist societies. In order to distinguish the provenance of obsidians from Peru, this paper reports a new X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis on several obsidians obtained in surface collections of the Ayacucho region. The analysis and source determination were made by XRF on 52 specimens. The source assignments involved comparisons between the compositional data for the specimens and the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) XRF obsidian database for sources in Peru. After analysing the samples, obsidian sources were recognized and documented. All had small nodules not larger than about 4 cm. They were recovered from Ñahuinpuquio and Marcahuilca hill which belonged to the previously identified Puzolana source. Another identified source was the well-known Quispisisa, located 120 km south of the city of Ayacucho, and distributed through a vast region in central Peru. The results expand previous observations made on the obsidian provenance at Ayacucho Basin, as well as the extension of the Puzolana source between Yanama and Huarpa hills, south of Ayacucho city.
"An integrated microchemical–petrographic approach is here proposed to discriminate the provenance of archaeological pottery artefacts from distinct production centres. Our study focuses on a statistically significant sampling (n = 186) of volcanic temper-bearing potteries representative of the manufacturing and dispersion among the islands of the Aeolian Archipelago during the Bronze Age. The widespread establishment of new settlements and the abundant recovery of Aeolian-made ceramic in southern Italy attest for the increased vitality of the Archipelago during the Capo Graziano culture (Early Bronze Age–Middle Bronze Age 2; 2300–1430 BC). Potteries from three of the main known ancient communities (Lipari, Filicudi and Stromboli) have been studied integrating old collections and newly excavated material. Volcanic tempers have been first investigated through multivariate analyses of relative abundances of mineral and rock clasts along with petrographic characters. In addition, we performed in-situ mineral chemistry microanalyses by Electron Microprobe and Laser Ablation—Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry to assess major and trace element composition of the most common mineral phases. Four Temper Compositional Reference Units have been recognised based on compositional trends. Two units (AI and AX) are unequivocally distinct by their peculiar trace element enrichment and petrographic composition; they mostly contain samples from the sites of Lipari and Stromboli, respectively. Units AIV and AVIII, restricted to the sites of Filicudi and Stromboli, show distinct petrographic characters but overlapped geochemical fingerprints. "
ARCHAEOMETRIC STUDY OF (...) AMPHORAE FROM THE CHOTYNIEC SITE
RAPORT CHOTYNIECKI I ANALIZY SPECJALISTYCZNE (BADANIA 2018–2023) COLLECTIO ARCHAEOLOGICA RESSOVIENSIS TOMUS XLVII.1, 2023
Joanna Trąbska, Beata Ostachowicz, Patrycja Skała, Barbara Trybalska ARCHAEOMETRIC STUDY OF THE FRAGMENTS OF WHEEL-THROWNVESSELS INCLUDING AMPHORAE FROM THE CHOTYNIEC SITE(CERAMIC MASSES, COLOR LAYERS, ENCRUSTATIONS) Abstract The first results of an archaeometric study of an amphora from the Chotyniec site were published in 2021 (Czopek et al. 2021). The ceramic mass of this vessel is composed of a high-calcium matrix devoid of nickel and chromium, elements considered important for interpreting the origin of raw materials and the location of workshops. Among the filler grains, lithoclasts of volcanic rock with microlites of feldspar, structurally resembling trachyte, were identified. The present study reveals the complex structure of the wheel-thrown ceramics from the site. They are vessels of varying chemical composition, structural features and uncertain provenance. Sixteen fragments of pottery assessed as wheel-thrown ceramics fragments were examined. The research methods included microscopic observations of the surfaces of the samples using a 3D Keyence microscope, observations with an optical microscope in transmitted light, using a scanning microscope combined with chemical analysis in the micro-area, and chemical analysis of the ceramic masses by total internal reflection fluorescence spectroscopy. Statistical analyses based on the chemical composition of the ceramic masses were carried out in Statistica software using logarythmized data. The analyses included cluster analysis and principal component analysis. Both the petrographic features of the wheel-thrown ceramics (type, size, roundness, the amount of grain component) as well as the chemical composition of the ceramic masses indicate the heterogeneity of the assemblage. On the other hand, all of the vessels were made with care to transport liquid substances. Principal component analysis revealed the clear distinctiveness of some samples (1, 3, 4, 12, 16) and the existence of a distinct small assemblage consisting of only two samples (2, 9). Cluster analyses singled out samples 1, 6 and 16 as outliers (both in one cluster), and to some extent samples 2 and 9. This allowed for a closer look at the similarity of samples within the large cluster, visible as a uniform cluster in the PCA diagram. This clustering may indicate the existence of workshops using different technological traditions but relying on the same type of raw material (in terms of chemical composition), and the opposite situation - workshops producing similar ceramic masses in terms of their structure and texture with different types of raw material. Almost all the vessels (sample 3, 9 and 13 is questionable due to its fine grain size) contain a raw ma-terial which is strongly genetically related to volcanic rocks. These include both filler grains (acidic and probably also neutral volcanic rocks) and matrix components of the ceramic masses (volcanic glass, mostly with a scale-shaped habit, in one case pumice autigenic crystals that are components of ignimbrite, among which grains with a composition similar to anorthoclase dominate, indicating a connection with sodium-type volcanism). Surprisingly, the concentration of nickel and chromium is not high, with the exception of samples 1, possibly 6, 12 and 13 for chromium (238.8 ppm, 122.1 ppm, 132.7 ppm, 106, 6 ppm, respectively) and with the exception of samples 12, 13 for nickel (138.3 ppm and 111.4 ppm, respectively). Wheel-thrown ceramics containing more than 100 ppm of these ele-ments are considered to belong to the Aegean zone (Barone et al. 2004). Petrographic features, however, exclude the aforementioned samples from the Aegean zone, except perhaps for fine-grained sample 3, 9 and 13, which lacks filler (Whitbread 1995). Comparative studies carried out on archival samples from the collection of the British School of Athens exclude the possibility of assigning the amphorae of the Chotyniec assemblage to the workshops of this zone. However, 320 other workshops, for which we do not have comparative material, should not be excluded. Red, dark red and black paints are present on the surface of some of the pottery fragments, forming an ornament of stripes of different widths. Several types of red paints were used, sometimes on a single vessel (e.g., 1, 8, 10), but all are based on ferruginous clays. They were prepared separately, then applied to the surfaces of the vessels, and the whole vessel was then fired. Phosphorus and calcium compounds may have been intentionally added to the paints, which, acting as fluxes, made the paint more easily homogeneous and cryptocrystalline. The black and brownish paint was made from iron-rich clay enriched with an organic substance which reduced the red iron compounds to their black form. On the inner surfaces of some pottery fragments, white-gray or black encrustations are present. Both are dominated by calcium and phosphorus. Lead was identified in the white encrustations (between 0.52 and 1.26 wt% in sample 4, 1.59 wt% in sample 7). Similarly significant is the spot content of silver (1.45 wt. %) in the encrustation of sample 11. It is likely that some substance was used as an aseptic, perhaps also taste modifying factors were at play.
Building a tephrostratigraphic framework for the Paleolithic of Central Anatolia, Turkey
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2009
KD3 is presently the only excavated Paleolithic site in the CAVP and preserves the only in situ Acheulian bifaces in Turkey (within archaeological levels IV-X of Figure 3). However, recent field surveys have demonstrated the presence of a number of additional Middle Paleolithic sites in the CAVP (e.g., Balkan-Atlı et al., 2008), including Körkuyu, where basalt and obsidian Levallois cores and bifaces are eroding from a paleosol that overlies a well-sorted light grey lapilli-fall deposit. As described below, samples from both archaeological sites were drawn from tephra-fall deposits and reworked tuffaceous sands, the latter extensively sampled at KD3 by 'geochemical reconnaissance' to isolate tephra that may help narrow the present ~1 million-year age range of the Acheulian strata there (~1.10-0.16 Ma). Tephrostratigraphic Methods We use electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) to determine the major and minor element oxide abundance in volcanic glasses (magma quenched at eruption) and cognate phenocrysts to geochemically characterize tephra deposits. Samples obtained from proximal tephra within each of the four CAVP Quaternary volcanoes form a reference set for comparison with distal deposits of unknown source from the archaeological sites of KD3 and Körkuyu. Multivariate statistical analyses are used to distinguish among each member of the reference set and to construct a robust classificatory model for attributing distal deposits at KD3 and Körkuyu to volcanic source in the CAVP. Sample collection and preparation Reworked Tephra Zone 1 Acigöl syn-caldera (rhyolitic) correlatives and intermediate (andesite-trachyte) glasses from Kurugölkabak Tepe. Estimated age of eruption: 0.16 Ma Estimated age of deposition: 0.16 Ma Middle Paleolithic Aval: Levels I, II, II' Amont: Levels I, I' Reworked Tephra Zone 2 Dispersed basaltic glasses from ≥ 1 unknown sources. Estimated age of eruption: > 0.16 Ma Estimated age of deposition: < 1.1. Ma Middle and Lower Paleolithic Amont: Levels II and II' Aval: III and IV Reworked Tephra Zone 3 Dispersed rhyolitic glasses ('KD3 pyroxene tephra') from Hasan Dağ paleovolcano Estimated age of eruption: 6.3-0.4 Ma Estimated age of deposition: < 1.1 Ma
Cercetări Arheologice 13, 2006, 413–436 (în colaborare cu Corina Ionescu, Lucreţia Ghergari)
From a high number of bricks and tiles found at Alburnus Maior (Roşia Montană) and Apulum (Alba Iulia) (Romania), twenty two fragments were studied. The ceramics consists mainly of a matrix with crystalline and/or amorphous fabric, showing different degrees of sinterization and vitrification. In the matrix variable amounts of magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary lithoclasts, various crystalloclasts (quartz, feldspar, mica), and rare ceramoclasts and bioclasts are present. Regarding the grain size, the ceramics is mainly lutitic-siltic-arenitic, with a contribution of arenaceous-sized grains exceeding 15% and reflecting the coarse category for all samples. The composition of the lithoclasts and crystalloclasts indicates that quartz sands were used as temper materials for the ceramics. Quartzite, granite-granodiorite, basalt, andesite/basaltic andesite, gneiss and limestone are ubiquitous lithoclasts.
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 24/1 (October 2018)
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica, 2018
Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 24/1 (October 2018) http://saa.uaic.ro/issues/xxiv-1/ CUPRINS – CONTENTS – SOMMAIRE ARTICLES — Magdalini VASILEIADOU, Ioannis LIRITZIS The historical ages in the South-Eastern Aegean (800–200 BC): a review — Ioannis LIRITZIS, Nikos ZACHARIAS, Ioulia PAPAGEORGIOU, Anthoula TSAROUCHA, Eleni PALAMARA Characterisation and analyses of museum objects using pXRF: An application from the Delphi Museum, Greece — Claudia MÁRSICO Materiales mágicos. Conjuros, fantasmas, necromancia y otros dispositivos de economía antropológica en el pensamiento griego — Juan Manuel BERMÚDEZ LORENZO La administración subalterna en Raetia durante el Imperio Romano — George NUȚU, Lucrețiu MIHAILESCU-BÎRLIBA Roman pottery in the countryside of Dobruja. Topolog as case study — Imola BODA The population of Colonia Sarmizegetusa — Marta LICATA, Adelaide TOSI, Chiara ROSSETTI, Silvia IORIO The Bioarchaeology of Humans in Italy: development and issues of a discipline — Roxana-Gabriela CURCĂ Salinae in Justinian’s Digest
Geoarchaeology and Archaeological Mineralogy, 2022
The Proceedings comprise the papers presented at the “IX Geoarchaeology and Archaeological Mineralogy-2022” Conference. This event took place at the South Ural Federal Research Center of Mineralogy and Geoecology, Urals Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Miass, Russia, from September 19th to 22nd, 2022. Part General Issues of Geoarchaeology and Archaeometry is devoted to the general problems of paleogeography and survey of the Bronze and Early Iron Ages, affecting wide regions from the Northern Black Sea coast to the Urals. Here are the authors’ concepts on the development of ancient production, as well as a series of the latest isotopic-geochemical studies of artefacts. Part Bioarchaeology and Cultural Layer Research, modern possibilities of studying the cultural layer are presented, related to the issues of diet, migration, and individual mobility of people and technologies in antiquity. Part The Use of Rocks and Minerals by Ancient Societies combines the results of field and analytical studies of the ancient mines. The materials in this chapter are devoted from Caucasus to Western Siberia, from Stone to Bronze Age and Antiquity. Part Mineralogical and Geochemical Methods in the Study of Ancient Ceramics is devoted to the features of the chemical and mineral composition of ancient ceramic artefacts originating from archaeological sites of Urals and the European part of Russia. Part Archaeometallurgy and Metalworking presents the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics ofmetal artefacts, ancient ores, and metallurgical processing products discovered during archaeological excavations. The results of this part are devoted to the period from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. Multidisciplinary archaeometry research is an important aspect of archaeological surveys. Various mineralogical, chemical, and isotopic research methods that are currently used in geological study are only just beginning to be introduced into widespread archaeological practice in Russia. The “Geoarchaeology and Archaeological Mineralogy” is one of the first conferences that provide a successful collaboration of various researchers from both geological and archaeological areas. The Geoarchaeological Conference is aimed to coordinate and effectively improve the multilevel training of scientists and make linkages between young scientists and scientific geological and archaeological institutions. The conference aims to accumulate knowledge on new modern geological, geophysical, mineralogical, petrographic, and geochemical methods for searching and studying archaeological sites and ancient mines. The conference promotes the application of natural scientific methods in archaeology and contributes to the knowledge of the mineral resource base of ancient societies, the analysis of economic relations in antiquity, and a combination of traditions and innovations from a historical perspective. The main social task of the conference is to form scientific linkages between the young scientists from various geological and archaeological scientific institutions of Russia and the international community, and to introduce the new generation of students into the field of science. You can find the link to the previous volumes of Proceedings https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-48864-2, https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-3-030-86040-0, https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-16544-3\. The Proceedings are intended for archaeologists, historians, museum staff, and geologists and also would benefit students, graduate students, and specialists—who are interested in the application of minerals at different stages of human development.
This paper presents the findings arising from neutron activation analysis (NAA) of northern Chilean domestic ceramic samples from Caleta Vitor (n = 38) and clay samples (n = 15) from nearby valley, coast and highland contexts. This study presents the first NAA data set of ceramics spanning a temporal period of 1500 years (c.2000 to c.476 BP) from the Vitor Valley as well as the first attempt to use NAA to characterize potential clay sources in the region. On the basis of this study, we argue that the majority of domestic ceramics from Caleta Vitor share compositional similarities with clay samples collected from nearby valleys, allowing us to infer that the Caleta Vitor populations primarily procured their clay for domestic ceramics from local sources throughout a 1500-year period. Thus, despite the fact that there were interregional interactions during this period that included the influence of powerful Andean polities, it would appear that domestic ceramics continued to be produced locally, and by implication it can be argued that such interactions did not substantially affect this sphere of material culture production. Further, the apparent continuities in domestic ceramic production
2018
Thin section, XRPD, and SEM-EDS analyses were carried out on pastes and glazes of 12th-13th c. glazed cooking wares found out at Palazzo Ducale of Genoa (Liguria, NW Italy). Seven productions different in compositional, technical and typological characteristics were recognised. Imports from centres located in the northern Mediterranean sector included between Spain and the Aegean-Anatolian area, as well as an early local production (from Savona workshops), were identified. The comparison between all these specialised productions shows a fairly homogenous technical knowledge. Ca-poor (Fe-rich alluvial or kaolinitic) clays with quartz-rich temper were generally used for the body, which give the cooking wares a good resistance to thermal shocks. Firing temperatures were relatively high, while both singleand double-fired productions have been identified. All glazes are non-opacified and show Si, Pb-rich, low-alkali, low-Ca composition; no clear chemical clusters are generally recognisab...