Long Term Corrosion Of Glasses: Analytical Results After 32 Years Of Burial At Ballidon

The Ballidon glass burial experiment commenced in 1970. Groundwater corrosion on 3 archaeological model glass compositions, a replica Roman glass; a medieval glass; and a 17th century glass has been characterised by optical and scanning ion microscopy, infrared reflection spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The samples studied chart up to 32 years of natural soil burial in controlled conditions. As the three lass compositions are replicas of ancient counterparts, the findings are relevant to both the scientific and archaeological communities.