Approaches to interrogate the erased histories of recycled archaeological objects

Any archaeological artefact made from recyclable material may have been recycled before deposition. Three approaches are presented which identified recycling in the record: (1) application of log ratio analyses to investigate compositional data indicates that Roman glass was and reapplied as a glaze on Parthian pottery, thereby suggesting paucity Sasanian record is due recycling; (2) linear mixing lines plots combine isotopic suggest most silver found Iron Age hoards southern Levant mixed, with vertical indicating some it melted down hastily times unrest; (3) histograms provide evidence accompanied by dilution cobalt-blue New Kingdom Egypt, potentially because colourant not available later periods, questioning accepted provenance cobalt source. It considered these can contribute better understanding motivations behind prehistory.