Editing Archaeological science (section)

=== Artifact studies ===
Another important subdiscipline of archaeometry is the study of artifacts. Archaeometrists have used a variety of methods to analyze artifacts, either to determine more about their composition, or to determine their [[Provenance#Archaeology, anthropology, and_paleontology|provenance]]. These techniques include:
* [[X-ray fluorescence]] (XRF)
* [[inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry]] (ICP-MS)
* [[neutron activation analysis]] (NAA)
* [[scanning electron microscope|scanning electron microscopy]] (SEM)
* [[laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy]] (LIBS)

[[Lead]], [[strontium]] and [[oxygen]] [[isotope analysis]] can also test human remains to estimate the diets and even the birthplaces of a study's subjects.

Provenance analysis has the potential to determine the original source of the materials used, for example, to make a particular artifact. This can show how far the artifact has traveled and can indicate the existence of systems of [[trade|exchange]].<ref>
{{Cite book
 | last = Lambert | first = JB
 | year = 1997
 | title = Traces of the Past: Unraveling the Secrets of Archaeology Through Chemistry
 | publisher = Addison-Wesley
}}</ref>