Oldest Metal Object

Surface Engineering of Metals

Surface Engineering of Metals provides basic definitions of classical and modern surface treatments, addressing mechanisms of formation, microstructure, and properties of surface layers. Part I outlines the fundamentals of surface engineering, presents the history of its development, and proposes a two-category classification of surface layers. Discussions include the basic potential and usable properties of superficial layers and coatings, explaining their concept, interaction with other properties, and the significance of these properties for proper selection and functioning. Part II provides an original classification of the production methods of surface layers. Discussions include the latest technologies in this field, characterized by directional or beam interaction of particles or of the heating medium with the treat surface.

Quaternary Palaeontology and Archaeology of Sumatra

“The Indonesian island of Sumatra is part of a chain of islands making up Sunda and the Malay Archipelago. Sumatra is one of the largest islands in the world, housing unique and globally important tropical rainforests, a diverse array of rare plants and magnificent animals, and a population of 60 million who speak a range of Austronesian languages. As beautifully exemplified in this volume, Sumatra is a place which preserves a distinct and long-term human history, studies of which began in earnest with Eugene Dubois’s explorations in the 1880s to find our ancestral ‘missing link’. Archaeological investigation of megaliths and historic empires carry on to this day. A range of topics are explored here, including palaeontological study of fossil mammals and their environments, the routes that Homo erectus took during their wanderings across Indonesia, and the growth and development of societies and empires in more recent periods. This exemplary volume presents a revised view of the history of palaeontological and archaeological research as well as new ground-breaking field research, laying the foundation for future research on the biological and cultural evolution of one of the most majestic islands of the world.” ­— Professor Michael Petraglia, Director of the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith University

Studies in Ancient Technology, Volume 8 Metallurgy in Antiquity, part 1. Early Metallurgy, the Smith and his Tools, Gold, Silver and Lead, Zinc and Brass