The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology

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atomic absorption spectrometry

atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) [Te].
A technique used in archaeology to determine the chemical composition of metals, pottery, minerals, and rocks of various kinds. A powdered sample of the material to be examined (typically 10–100 mg) is dissolved in an aqueous liquid which is then atomized in a flame. A beam of light of controlled wavelength is shone through the flame to a detector on the other side. The wavelength is selected so that atoms of the element under study will absorb some of the light and so will not reach the detector. The amount of energy absorbed is directly proportional to the concentration of the element in the sample.

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