Abstract: Abstract In this work, we present ArchaeoPyDating , a new version of the archaeo_dating Matlab software used for archaeomagnetic dating. This updated version introduces a transition from the original Matlab code to Python, enabling the software to be presented as an online tool. By offering a web‐based interface, ArchaeoPyDating eliminates the need for licenses, program installations, or programming expertise, making it widely accessible to users through various devices and browsers. This enhanced accessibility holds great potential for popularizing the archaeomagnetic dating method. This study presents both the new online version of the tool and a Python module that encompasses all the essential classes and functions required for conducting archaeomagnetic dating in a command‐line environment, which can be useful for advanced users.

Abstract: This paper presents a study of ceramics from Northwest China from the Neolithic and Bronze Age (c. 3300–600 BCE), providing insights into variations in human–ceramic interactions over time and space. Based on macroscopic and petrographic analysis of ceramics from 10 sites, this paper shows that there is much more complexity in ceramic technology than previously thought. It identifies a development from a bi‐modal distinction between painted fine ware and rusticated coarse wares shared among communities across Northwest China to strongly localised ceramic traditions with new fabrics, vessel shapes, and decorations, some of them potentially of outside origin, reflecting considerable societal change.

Abstract: Reinforcement is a critical aspect in the preservation of waterlogged wooden artifacts to ensure their long‐term stability. In this study, we investigated the use of bacterial cellulose compounded with xylitol as a reinforcement material for simulated waterlogged wooden artifacts at varying concentrations. Evaluation of the reinforcement effects was based on indicators such as antishrinking efficacy, mechanical strength, and microscopic morphology. Our findings revealed that bacterial cellulose alone had limited effectiveness but showed enhanced reinforcement when mixed with xylitol. Optimized conditions resulted in remarkable improvements in bending strength (94.5 MPa) and deformation (20 mm) of the reinforced wood. This study offers novel insights and a scientific foundation for the reinforcement of waterlogged wooden artifacts, with potential implications for their preservation in cultural heritage conservation practices.

Abstract: Abstract Although the ornamentation of the Lascaux cave seems relatively homogeneous in style, the analysis by scanning and transmission electron microscopy of 32 microsamples from the figures of the Hall of the Bulls (Bull Rotunda) and one desquamated sample from the soil highlighted different paint pots. The black and red paint matters with their associated mineralogical phases were extensively characterized. Considering previous stylistic and superimposition studies, we were eventually able to confirm five creation steps of monothematic figures (‘assemblages’) based on the chemical and mineralogical characteristics. Further interpretations in terms of the rhythm and temporal framework of the Hall of the Bulls (Bull Rotunda) of the Lascaux cave could be reinforced. Some particular representations such as the black cave bear and one of the cross‐shaped signs were shown to be likely added at later moments by different hands because their paint pots were different from those of the Bull Rotunda and similar to that of other representations in deeper rooms of the Lascaux cave. We also found that the paint matter of the Bull Rotunda was different than those of other Palaeolithic cave sites on a more regional scale indicating a very local sourcing.

Abstract: Abstract This paper examines newly acquired and previously published carbon and nitrogen isotope values in bone collagen from 58 dogs ( Canis familiaris ) dated to the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition. Using the Bayesian mixing model FRUITS, we estimate the marine or freshwater dietary fractions. These estimates, together with a radiocarbon‐based Bayesian statistical model, have allowed us to calculate the freshwater reservoir age for selected Danish regions. The Ertebølle and Funnel Beaker cultures display different feeding traditions, and stable isotope values of dogs cannot be used as a direct proxy for reconstructing human diet, as the foodstuffs appear to have been subject to some deliberate differentiation.

Abstract: Chemical and lead isotope analyses aided by metallographic examination of copper axes found at the Late Neolithic settlement of Kietrz in southwestern Poland provide new evidence for the origin of copper and metal trade routes in the region. Our results indicate that metal used for the axes could be sourced from copper mines in modern Slovakia, Bulgaria and perhaps Serbia. The evidence from this study confirms that the Funnel Beaker people from Poland became parties to a metal trading network that connected much of continental Europe in the mid‐4th millennium bce and provides a better understanding of how these contacts provided the background for the technological and socio‐economic developments of the Baden era.

Abstract: Abstract During the University of Chicago excavations at Megiddo, a 135 g hoard of silver fragments wrapped in cloth and enclosed in a small clay jug was unearthed in a room with an earthen or plastered floor, in a focal point of the Middle Bronze (MB) city. It was affiliated by the excavators with Stratum XIIIA, dated to the MB I. The hoard is published here for the first time, along with various possibilities for its dating, the weights of the items, and the chemical composition and isotopic ratios of a selected number of them. Although the hoard could be associated with several overlying MB II strata, the isotopic ratios of the silver, combined with archaeological considerations, suggest that it be placed in the Late Bronze Stratum IX and associated with the siege and takeover of Megiddo by Thutmose III in the mid‐15th century bce .

Abstract: In this article, we present an isotopic perspective of key research questions in Andean bioarchaeology, focusing on the ways in which stable and radiogenic isotope analyses have contributed to our understanding of the past. Andean archaeology offers a window into long‐term processes of economic, socioecological and political change since the mid‐Holocene, thus providing historical trajectories of socio‐ecological change relevant for global comparison. The spatial scale of this review includes the areas traditionally identified as the south‐central Andes and the southern Andes. These ecological scenarios are characterised by marked topographic, climatic and ecological variations that are fruitful for the application of isotopes to understand diet, mobility, migration and ritual in past human societies. Within the broader Andean context, here we focus on the growth of bioarchaeological applications of isotopic data. We discuss some major themes of economic production, mobility and exploitation of environmental diversity, maize agriculture, migrations in small‐ and large‐scale societies and ritual practices related to human sacrifices and body modifications. Building on this, we discuss theoretical and methodological trends and directions for future research combining bioarchaeology and isotopes in the Andes.

Abstract: Abstract This article presents the results of analyses of the chemical composition of organic matter and the occurrence of characteristic geochemical and biochemical markers in 17 samples collected from the Second World War mass graves excavated in the Szpęgawski Forest and Death Valley, Poland. The results show that attempts to cover up mass crimes by burning the bodies of the victims have left their own traces—that each attempt to cover up the crime is associated with the creation of further evidence of the crimes committed.

Abstract: A few scattered vessels, typologically attributed to the Gáta–Wieselburg culture, are known from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in northeastern Italy. This culture spread during the Early Bronze Age (Reinecke Br A1b and A2, 2100–1700/1600 bc) in present‐day eastern Austria, western Hungary and southwestern Slovakia. Rare ceramic artefacts, typically biconical double‐handled jugs with well‐burnished surfaces, have been discovered in caves of the Trieste Karst (Ciclami, Tartaruga, Teresiana and Ossa) and the Natisone Valley (Velika jama). This study aims to outline the technology, provenance and probable use of these rare jugs from the Trieste Karst. Two of these vessels from the Ciclami and Tartaruga caves have been investigated using various destructive and non‐destructive techniques, including optical microscopy, X‐ray computed microtomography and prompt‐gamma activation analysis, and chemically compared to contemporaneous vessels from the core region of the Gáta–Wieselburg culture in Hungary (10 vessels specifically analysed for this project) and earlier Neolithic and Copper Age vessels, likely produced locally in the Karst, Slovenia and Hungary. Based on the obtained results, the investigated Karst vessels were imported. Tentative identification of plant and animal lipids using organic residue analysis (i.e., gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) sheds light on their possible function.

Abstract: Abstract Bluish‐white porcelain was a prominent type of porcelain in ancient China, renowned for its distinctive artistic style and unique characteristics. The Lanxi kiln in Jianning County, Fujian Province, has unearthed a multitude of bluish‐white porcelain products from the Southern Song dynasty that exhibit vibrant glaze color and exceptional craftsmanship. The quality of these porcelains surpasses that of contemporaneous Jingdezhen and Baishe kiln products in Jiangxi Province, representing the pinnacle of bluish‐white porcelain excavated across various regions of China during the Southern Song dynasty. In this study, samples of bluish‐white porcelain from the Lanxi kiln and Baishe kiln, dating back to the Southern Song dynasty, were selected and analyzed via energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence, ultraviolet–visible–near infrared (UV–Vis–NIR) spectrophotometer, metallographic microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with EDS to investigate their glaze formula process and coloring mechanism. Moreover, these findings were subsequently compared with those of Jingdezhen bluish‐white porcelain from the same period. The results demonstrate that the raw materials of porcelain stones used in the glaze of the Lanxi and Jingdezhen kiln are similar in composition yet differ significantly from that employed in the Baishe kiln. Potassium feldspar was added to the glazes of the Baishe and Lanxi kiln, potentially existing exchanges of process of the two kilns due to their geographic proximity. The firing atmosphere of bluish‐white porcelain with different glaze colors in the same kiln exhibits significant variations. In particular, the lake blue sample undergoes firing under a strong reducing atmosphere, resulting in an excess content of Fe 2+ in octahedral hexagon coordination within the glaze, thereby intensifying its blue hue. The colors of various glazes are determined by both chemical color and physical color. The former is a result of the absorption of Fe 3+ in the ultraviolet region and the d‐d electron orbital transition of Fe 2+ in the infrared region. However, the latter is not the scattering physical color but the diffuse reflection physical color produced by bubbles and anorthite crystallization layers.

Abstract: Here, we report an archaeometrical study of seven grave goods from the Inca sacrifice at Lullallalico Mountain (ca. 1430–1520 ce) in search of microbotanical and chemical evidence of the content. Two queros (vessels), one aribalo (jar), one aisana (pot), and three textile bags were analyzed by optical microscopy and scanning electronic microscopy with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX). The results show significant chemical data and starches of Cucurbita, Oxalis, Fabaceae, Zea mays, Manihot esculenta, and Phaseolus. This archaeometrical evidence is discussed along with various perspectives on the capacocha ceremony to show that foreign and local identities were negotiated in this Andean mountain ritual.

Abstract: In the present study, red slip wares excavated from the ancient city of Germanicia (modern Kahramanmaraş, Southeastern Anatolia) were subjected to an archaeometric analysis. A multi‐analytical approach was employed, including stereomicroscopy, optical microscopy, XRPD, SEM‐EDS, and XRF to explore the mineralogical and chemical compositions of the samples. Based on both archaeological and archaeometric criteria, the samples were classified into three main categories: African, Phocaean, and Sagalassos red slip wares. The African red slip wares were characterized by an abundance of coarse quartz inclusion, accompanied by lesser quantities of plagioclase and mica. The Phocaean red slip wares primarily consisted of quartz, feldspar, and mica. In contrast, the Sagalassos red slip wares featured a groundmass rich in quartz, mica/biotite, hematite, and opaque minerals. Thermoanalytical data indicated that all samples were fired at temperatures between 800 and 900°C. The results suggest that red slip wares found at Germanicia were not manufactured using local available clay sources but rather originated from different regions. This evidence further provides that Germanicia was actively involved in trade networks and interacted with various ancient urban centers, such as Africa, Phocaean, and Sagalassos, during the Late Roman Period, between the fourth and fifth centuries AD.

Abstract: The present work describes the chemistry and mineralogy of soils such as Terra Preta Arqueológica (TPA) or Terra Preta de Índio (TPI) from the Bitoca I and II sites, located in the Salobo Region (Carajás Mineral Province, Pará‐Brazil). The results revealed chemical and mineralogical characteristics that are similar to other TPAs found throughout the Amazon region, such as relatively high levels of Ca (average of 3600 ppm), P (average of 850 ppm), Mn (average of 730 ppm), Zn (average of 55 ppm), and Cu (average of 63 ppm). In soils related to the characteristics of occupation by huts and campfires, the mineralogical composition is represented by quartz, kaolinite, calcite, muscovite, anatase, hematite, goethite, and gibbsite. Amorphous phases have also been identified mainly as calcium phosphates and organic matter (humic and fulvic acids). The analysis of the features/structures described here helped in the identification/verification of areas destined for different activities within the sites.

Abstract: Abstract Archaeometry had a slow start in the study of Amazonian and Caribbean ceramics, practiced almost exclusively by professionals outside of the archaeology discipline, primarily geologists, physicists and chemists, but is now slowly gaining track among archaeologists. In this paper, we summarize the archaeometric research done in the last thirty years in ceramics from the Amazon and Caribbean regions, emphasizing its main questions, aims and future developments for archaeometry in Latin America. Archaeometric studies are a growing field of research and improve understanding of past networks, technological knowledge and cultural traditions.

Abstract: Organic residue analysis (ORA) is a valuable tool for the study of ancient diets, but conventional methods remain limited in terms of taxonomic identification or to resolve mixtures. Here, we propose a method to further explore a class of compounds—triacylglycerols (TAGs)—using high‐resolution mass spectrometry to overcome these limitations in an attempt to better characterise culinary practices. Over 70 medieval Sicilian pots and a wide range of authentic fresh products were studied by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionisation–mass spectrometry (MALDI‐MS and MALDI‐MS/MS). MALDI‐MS analysis can distinguish fresh foodstuffs but provides little additional information regarding the contents of archaeological pottery compared to conventional ORA methods. In contrast, product ion analyses were able to deconvolute a range of animal carcass fat mixtures. In addition, detailed analysis of the composition of saturated T44 and unsaturated T50–T54 TAGs was able to provide greater taxonomic resolution regarding dairy products and plant oils.

Abstract: We present a study of a selection of metal ornaments belonging to archaeological funerary goods from Patagonic Indigenous groups. They are part of the ‘Andrés Giai’ Collection, under the guard of the Museum of Patagonia (Nahuel Huapi National Park [PNNH]; National Parks Administration [APN]), Argentina. The absence of contextual information and its current conservation status motivated the design of an interdisciplinary methodology to develop an Integral Conservation Plan that considered the selection of analytical techniques. Here, we implemented complementary nondestructive characterisation techniques such as particle induced X‐ray emission (PIXE), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). We developed a methodology enabling us to characterise each piece with respect to its metallic composition and degradation products, and in certain cases, their manufacturing process. These findings have contributed with essential information for the tailored conservation treatment proposal. Moreover, they provided key information in regard to the reconstruction of contextual data for each piece. In addition, the methodology proposed for the Integral Conservation Plan takes into account an optimisation of the techniques to be used in order to minimise unnecessary handling of goods whilst ensuring an appropriate use of technological and economic resources whilst minimising time on potentially unconclusive measurements and results.

Abstract: Raman spectroscopy and laser ablation‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry were used to characterize the chemical composition of 34 red garnet beads from Lower Nubian sites, dated between about 3200 BCE and 600 CE. All beads from the A‐Group to the Meroitic period feature a similar calcium‐poor almandine composition (69%–78% almandine, 15%–22% pyrope, 2%–6% grossular, 3%–9% spessartine), which differs from other calcium‐poor almandine garnet types, sourced mostly from Indian deposits in Antiquity. The Nubian beads constitute a new garnet type, named “cluster I”, featuring high yttrium (180 to 1205 ppm), moderately low chromium (13–70 ppm), and high scandium (119–213 ppm) concentrations. Their compositions match with previous and two new analyses from two alluvial garnet deposits, Wadi El‐Haraz and Wadi Abu Dom, near the Fourth Cataract of the Nile in Upper Nubia, about 670 km as the crow flies from the Lower Nubian graves. Garnet trade between the Bayuda desert and Lower Nubia sites, and possibly even Egypt, flourished for almost four millennia. Northeastern Africa is the cradle for the oldest use of a gemstone that is harder than quartz—the red almandine garnet.A Post‐Meroitic bead, the youngest in the assembly, displays an unusual faceting, a diamond tipped drill hole, excellent polish, distinct short‐ and long‐prismatic colorless mineral inclusions, and a calcium‐ and manganese‐poor pyrope composition. This suggests that it was not of a local, Nubian, production, but imported, most probably from a South Asian site.

Abstract: Changes in the composition of various chemical elements in ancient nephrite artifacts due to prolonged burial are critical factors that should not be underestimated. However, the increasingly stringent heritage management has made many techniques impractical. Consequently, portable X‐ray fluorescence (pXRF) has become an indispensable nondestructive field analysis method. This paper aims to make use of the pXRF dataset to distinguish which elements tested are endogenous or exogenous, as well as to gauge which elements have been affected by stronger burial effects. More specifically, we carry out this work on the example of 103 pieces of nephrite excavated from different cemeteries in the Nanyang area. In addition to traditional statistical techniques, a new tool, the concentration‐number (C‐N) fractal method can shed new light on the analysis of the distribution patterns of different elements in excavated nephrite. The anomalous boundaries generated by the method have clear geochemical significance and can be delineated between background zone and disturbed regions. The degree of resistance of different elements to fluctuations in external factors was assessed, which has a direct relationship with the content of the buried soil. Considering the richness of the model, it has the potential to be used in archaeometrics.

Abstract: Abstract Charred aggregates are one of the most common forms in which millets are preserved on archaeological sites. Despite the lack of consensus on their origin, few studies have attempted to determine how aggregates are formed. Knowing how aggregates are produced allows us to understand the diversity of processes operating in the formation of charred archaeobotanical assemblages. As a contribution to filling this gap, we investigated the charring conditions of archaeological millet assemblages by comparing them to experimentally charred millets grains exposed to different temperatures, and reducing and oxidizing atmospheres, using pyrolysis‐gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (Py‐GC‐MS) and thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation‐GC‐MS (THM‐GC‐MS). The results show that the formation of aggregates in the millet species studied is due to the transformation of organic material into char and the emission of volatiles as a consequence of the high thermal impact that is produced in some areas of grain clusters. Substances derived from the charring act as a ‘glue’ that holds a grain cluster together, in which some grains are exposed to a temperature range allowing preservation of recognisable grain morphologies.

Abstract: Ancient DNA analysis has greatly contributed to understanding the population history of several species. In the last 20 years, the field has undergone an important transformation: particularly in our species, thousands of ancient genomes have been analyzed worldwide, providing evidence of population movements and interactions through time. However, several researchers have raised concerns about the way the field is developing and how collaborations are being established. In this work, we describe and evaluate the situation in Latin America, considering both what we have learned about population history through paleogenetics and how it has developed in the region.

Abstract: Although evaluating developmental stress is challenging, it is critical to understanding phenotypic adaptation and differentials in morbidity and mortality related to spatiotemporal variation in environmental and cultural factors. This paper presents a new, reproducible, and reliable geometric morphometric (GM) protocol through which stress‐induced deviations to symmetry, known as fluctuating asymmetry (FA), can be robustly quantified. A case study, in which maternally mediated early‐life stress in human skeletal remains is explored through first permanent molar (M1) FA, illustrates the method's effectiveness and wide‐ranging potential to revolutionise the investigation of themes such as stress intensity, developmental processes, and buffering mechanisms in past populations.

Abstract: This study evaluates the current viability of ChatGPT as a research tool in lychnology, a discipline of archaeology focusing on the study of light use and lamps in antiquity. Prompts applicable to a common cultural heritage artifact group—the Roman clay oil lamp—were entered in ChatGPT to test its capabilities in compiling, categorizing, describing, and identifying lamp types, and to assess how accurate, detailed, and knowledgeable its responses would be.

Abstract: The Hengduan Mountains are located on the southeastern edge of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau, where farmers began to settle 6000 years ago. Animal husbandry plays a significant role in the sustenance economies of agricultural civilizations. It is unclear how Neolithic people acquired animal resources in the Hengduan Mountains. We explore animal geographical origins and feeding practices using the strontium, carbon, and oxygen isotope composition of tooth enamel at the Guijiabao and Yingpanshan sites during the Neolithic Age in the Hengduan Mountains. Multi‐isotopic evidence demonstrates that animals originate from several different regions with diverse foods. Guijiabao domestic dogs and pigs with a mixed C3/C4 diet share a similarly broad dietary spectrum with humans as enclosed animals, but the other pigs are wild boars with a C3 diet, likely free‐range animals or directly captured as meat resources. Yingpanshan dogs and pigs are both domestic animals with a mixed C3/C4 or C4‐based diet, but pigs with different 87Sr/86Sr ratios are likely raised by dispersed feeding modes. The inhabitants had diverse approaches for obtaining animal resources, including husbandry, hunting, and exchange. Diverse animal subsistence patterns are closely related to the complex geographical environment, reflecting the adaptation of farmers living in the high mountain valley regions.

Abstract: The populations in Sumhuram (third/second century bce to fifth century ce) and Hamr al‐Sharqiya 1 (HAS1) (first millennium bce to first/second century ce) were involved in one of the most important examples of large‐scale trade systems in antiquity: the maritime network connecting the coasts of the Indian Ocean. This research focuses on a total of 35 southwestern Arabian and Indian pottery sherds from both the settlements of Sumhuram and Hamr al‐Sharqiya 1, analysed through a multi‐analytical complementary approach. This study intends to test the input potential of this type of approach applied to ceramics in the context of the Indian Ocean trade network. The techniques adopted are powder X‐ray diffraction, optical microscopy, inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The results obtained allow the identification of eight distinct groups, each characterized by unique (textural, mineralogical, geochemical) signatures, providing specific clues for determining their provenance, specifically from the Indian subcontinent and southwestern Arabia. This paper shows the importance of this type of archaeometric study that must be integrated into a transdisciplinary approach.

Abstract: The Caribbean islands witnessed a population expansion of ceramic‐using horticulturalists during the Early Ceramic Age (ca. 500 BC to 750 AD) from the Orinoco Valley to Puerto Rico. We examined 18 lithic artefacts from Guadeloupe and Dominica initially thought to be obsidian, a material believed to be absent from those islands. We investigated the volcanic or meteoritic origin of this unique and yet unknown material through observation (binocular, SEM, microtomography) and geochemical analyses (PIXE, SEM‐EDS, ED‐XRF, EPMA, LA‐ICP‐MS). Elemental analyses rule out the hypothesis of an origin from a meteoritic impact (i.e. identification as tektites). Most of the artefacts have an andesitic composition (<63% SiO2), which appears to be unique among ‘massive’ glasses. The only artefact with a rhyolitic composition has been traced back to the Guadeloupe's Volcan du Tuf, where glassy fragments have been collected and analysed. The geological source of the other vitreous artefacts that exhibit an andesitic composition could be from a sublocal subduction‐arc volcanism (maybe from Martinique), although no volcanic vitreous material of this kind has ever been reported worldwide. These results once again highlight the regional mobility of Early Ceramic populations and the production of standard lithic products using a highly original, albeit low‐quality, local lithic resource, and provide valuable references for future identification of similar materials.

Abstract: The obsidian dating method converts the quantity of diffused molecular water within a near‐surface hydration layer to elapsed time using an experimentally derived diffusion coefficient predicted from the structural water content of the glass. Infrared spectroscopic transmission measurements on transparent archaeological samples record vibrational responses of water bands in the near‐infrared region, permitting determination of structural water content (OH), and the amount of diffused ambient water (H2O). In this application, the H2O water band at 5200 cm−1 is measured directly. The accuracy of the approach is assessed by an evaluation of the precision of each contributing variable. The new protocol is evaluated using obsidian artifacts from radiocarbon‐dated deposits at Salamanca Cave in Argentina.

Abstract: Abstract Classifying cultural relics has always been a major challenge for archaeologists. Using glass artifacts as the research object, a classification model for glass artifacts was constructed using decision trees, support vector machines, and logistic regression methods based on their patterns, colors, surface weathering conditions, types, and composition ratios. Three models were used to identify the types of unknown glass artifacts. A subclassification model for high‐potassium glass and lead barium glass was established using the K‐means clustering method. The elbow method and average contour method were used to determine the optimal number of clusters, and the decision tree model was named based on the characteristics of the cluster center components. The research results indicate that the three models yield consistent identification results for unknown types of glass relics, and the classification results are good. Lead barium glass and high‐potassium glass can be divided into three and six subclasses, respectively, and the naming of the subclass decision tree is reasonable. The identification method for ancient glass relics in this article is highly practical and can provide a reference for the classification and identification of other component data.

Abstract: Micro‐X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) screening of 244 glass sherds from Ribe, Denmark, identified 23 wood ash glasses. The closely dated finds pinpoint the arrival of the earliest wood ash glass produced in Western Europe in this important North Sea trading hub. This glass type was absent among glass from 700 to 790 CE but feature strongly from 790 to 810 CE. Electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) analysis of 24 glasses show the presence of four types. We show the strengths of classifying wood ash glass based on the glass‐producing sands and conclude that the earliest production took place on a considerable scale and had a major impact on glass circulation in Northern Europe in the ninth century.