Morphological Studies on Microstructure of Thai Ancient Glass Beads

Abstract:

Various ancient glass beads in prehistorical - historical period (around 2500-1200 BP) from the collection of the Banraiprachasawan local museum (A. Pisalee, Nakhon Sawan) were studied to determine elemental compositions and morphologies using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray analysis (SEM/EDX). The colors of the beads range from blue to red brown. From the EPMA data, all beads contain copper in the glass matrices. The SEM/EDX showed differences in the microstructures of the glass beads. The transparent blue, greenish blue and light green beads contain small particles of tin oxide while the opaque orange or red brown beads contain both copper oxide and tin oxide particles. The forms of copper oxide in the orange and red brown beads were proposed from previous work: Cu₂O in the orange glass and copper metal in the red brown glass.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 702)
• Pages: 8-12
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.702.8
• Online since: July 2016
• Authors: Radchada Buntem*, Blythe McCarthy, Chawalit Khaokhiew
• Keywords: Glass Morphology, Microstructure of Glass, Thai Ancient Glass Beads

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