Dear Matt:
        Copper, never having been part of the biosphere, is not subject
to taphonomic study.  One can study copper corrosion or the formation
processes of copper artifacts, but taphonomy is restricted to things once
living. Sorry--just one of my pet peeves.
        To obtain the information you need, you might ask archaeological
conservators.  For example, check with Jessie Johnson at the Texas
Memorial Museum at UT. Archaeometallurgists might have some insights as
well. Perhaps David Killick in my Dept. would be a good contact.
 
        mike
 
 
 
On Wed, 2 Oct 1996, Matt Tomaso wrote:
 
> Does anybody have any information on rates of oxidation of copper and copper
> alloys in various (or any, for that matter) depositional contexts?
> Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to offer.
> Matt Tomaso                   [log in to unmask]
> PhD student/T.A.
> Anthropology                  Home: (512)-452-6286
> U. Texas Austin                       UT: (512)-471-0586
>
> ~  Don't start from the good old things but from the bad new ones ~
>                       Bertolt Brecht (reported by Walter Benjamin)
>
>