Bone ash

Burnt bones have been recovered from numerous Ancient Greek sanctuaries dating from the Late Bronze Age up to the Hellenistic period.

The burnt bones are often calcined with a white or blueish color, allowing archaeologists to identify them as sacrificial remains.

At the sanctuary to Artemis in Eretria a round altar of fieldstones filled with soil was found, dating to the 8th century BC.

Examples include release agents and protective barriers for tools exposed to molten metal, and as a sealant for seams and cracks.

Bone ash's extremely porous and calcareous structure as well as its high melting point makes it an ideal candidate for cupellation.