Cannon balls from Bremervörde (D). A characterization of historic cannon balls using SEM and LA-ICPMS microchemistry

A total of 41 historic cannon balls from the 16^th and 17^th centuries were analysed by SEM (AQM and BSE) and LA-ICPMS with the aim of grouping the cannon balls using their textural and chemical-compositional attributes. With emphasis on using typical textures occurring in the cannon balls, the general composition of the sample material, trace element chemistry of carefully selected and omnipresent Fe-rich phases, and a principal component analysis (PCA) methodology, the cannon ball can be divided into at least three, but likely four groups with distinct and reasonably noticeable attributes. The report includes the results from this reconnaissance study, which constitutes a first attempt to characterize such materials using a combination of electronic microscopy and LA-ICPMS instrumentation and method setup.