Context of the archaeological findings is an important part of these artifacts and many useful information, regarding the provenance, application and dating of findings must be determined considering the characteristic of corresponding context. In some cases, the context of an historical objects is missing and hence, the accuracy of the information regarding the historical object is unsatisfactory. However, some types of laboratory experiments are able to provide the required information regarding the archaeological context of the object. In this study, it was tried to find the context of five gray Iron Age pottery pieces belong to the Museum of Ancient Iran. In order to identify and measure the elements in sediments and body of the samples, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) technique was used. Also, to identify the anions present in sediments on the samples, ion chromatography (IC) technique was employed. The results showed that, the sample MB-1 and MB-2, on the basis of elements present, have the same context, where the specifications are very close to the cemetery. Also, based on the high concentrations of calcium carbonate deposits in the chemical composition of MB-3, this sample could be related to the kitchen or floor of a residential area. Regarding the samples termed MB-4 and MB-5, as the results of elemental analysis showed the presence of some elements such as potassium, magnesium, iron, and titanium and, a positive correlation of these elements with each other, as well as a negative correlation between potassium and magnesium with Si, the context ought to be associated with fire, such as oven and grill found in the kitchen. Results of polarized light microscopy (PM) also showed a close correlation and structural similarity based on the type of tempering with gray earthenware tempering, traditionally used during the Iron Age, which are clay minerals having relatively smooth and homogeneous texture in all the samples.

Historical papers with all museum and aesthetic value have considerable cultural and scientific importance which represents how societies were during history improved. Studying historical papers is a way to discover the changes of human’s life in different cases such as economics, culture and politics. Between existing manuscripts prescriptions there are some, which are left unseen unfortunately due to lack of recognition of their writing date. So to understand their originality, we require technical and structural analyses. Quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis and identification of organic paper are able to recognize their structure and thus the probable time of the paper making process or use it as a cultural work. Today, using scientifically exact methods like radiocarbon dating of organic material such as dating paper results well. Unfortunately, it is impossible to use this method in our country because of high cost and lack of access for most of experts. In this research we seek to know the most used materials in a specific era and to make possible the indirect dating by studying and recognizing fibers and sizing in historical papers. We have used microscopic observations, color reagents and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) methods. Results showed that linen, and hemp fibers have a high level of application in studied dated manuscripts and there is conformity in these results with results of studied undated ones.

In the Bronze Age Archaeology of Northwestern Iran (plateau), the advent of various types of handmade gray-black ceramics shows the arrival of the so-called Kura-Araxian culture. The Urmia Ware, dating to the Late Bronze Age, on the other hand, represents the revival of the buff painted pottery tradition, following the decline of the Early Bronze Kura-Araxian culture. The present work attempted to examine the matrixes of samples of sherds in the Early Bronze gray-black pottery of Kura-Araxes, and a further samples of sherds in the Late Bronze buff-painted pottery of Urmian Ware, all collected during the surface surveys of Kul Tepe, Ajabshir County, through the petrographic technique and observing thin-sections by polarizing microscope, as well as XRD and FT-IR analysis. The main objective was to study the similarities in the structure of the Early Bronze (Kura-Araxian) and Late Bronze (Urmian Ware) ceramics. The primary focus was on examining the possibility of local production of these ceramics through the analysis of the prepared thin-sections and ascertaining their technology, structure and composition, as well as gathering data on such fields as compositions and resources of raw material. Since Kul Tepe contains both Early Bronze and Late Bronze deposits, it offers a good opportunity for studying Archaeometrically the problem of discontinuity in technological pottery traditions, and the fact that whether the Urmian Ware tradition represented a local or an imported phenomenon. Results of the polarization microscopy, as well as the XRD and FT-IR analyses and their comparison to the available regional petrographic indices, showed that the clay used in both samples was procured from a single source, and the Early Bronze Age sherds and the Late Bronze Age painted sherds were then both manufactured locally.