Chemical characterization of large size archaeological clay bricks for grouping study by internal mono-standard neutron activation analysis

The k0-based internal mono-standard neutron activation analysis (IM-NAA) method was used to analyze large size archaeological clay brick samples for grouping study. Elemental concentration ratios with respect to Sc were derived using IM-NAA in conjunction with in situ relative detection efficiency. Preliminary grouping was carried out using bi-plot of Ce/Sc and La/Sc ratios and the grouping was confirmed by statistical cluster analysis. Concentration results of a large size sample were compared with analysis of small size replicates by both relative NAA and IM-NAA methods. The method adopted here is a standard-less one for grouping combined with provenance study of archaeological artifacts.