Resin blocks from the 13th century Java Sea Wreck (a total of 16 samples, provided by the Field Museum, Chicago, IL) have been analyzed by solid state carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in order to develop our understanding of exchange and commerce in East and Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean region in the early to mid-second millennium A.D. All samples but one had common NMR fingerprints by all spectral tests, characteristic of NMR Group B ambers. The exception, sample 1560, had a carbon-13 NMR fingerprint that suggests a compound with a carbon framework composed entirely of carbonyl groups; this sample is believed to be an inorganic carbonate. The effect of a saline environment on amber was also analyzed for the fifteen remaining samples, and NMR analysis revealed that saline environments affect the perceived maturity of the sample. Investigation into the provenance of the samples was completed by visual inspection of spectra of known samples from East and Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean region. Chinese and Middle Eastern origins were eliminated because these ambers are characteristically Group A. Australia and Papua New Guinea were eliminated because spectra of known Australian and Papua New Guinean samples are visually inconsistent with those of the Java Sea Wreck samples. Indonesian origin was also eliminated because previous study revealed that Indonesian samples have two distinct peaks at δ5.5; these two peaks are not seen in the spectra of the resin blocks. However, the spectra of the resin blocks have a clear resemblance to the spectrum of sample 139 from the Indian state of Gujarat. The spectra of the Java Sea Wreck samples are consistent with having originated from Gujarat, India. Additionally, 13th century Chinese export patterns are also consistent with the samples having originated from Gujarat, India.

NMR characterization of resin blocks from 13th century Java Sea Wreck

249th National Meeting (2015)

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