The study and the identification of organic and inorganic compounds are used to tackle several problems such as the provenance amber artifacts, the identification of remains in lithic objects, the composition of crusts on pottery, the characterisation of the crystallinity on bones and wood, the identification of pigments and painted surfaces.

Provenance of amber artifacts

The characterisation of amber and ancient artifacts made of fossilised resin permits to understand the mobility of a community and the system of trade of this precious and uncommon material (Truica et al. 2012).

Identification of remains in lithic artifacts

The analysis of micro-remains detectable on lithic artifacts, such as tips of arrows and utensiles used to cut, is used to detect remains of animal (fats, collagen, bones). These methods are particularly useful to identify the artifacts used in hunting and to work the animals' carcasses (Prinsloo et al., 2014).

Identification of state of conservation of wood

Archaeological wood is exposed to a slow decay and the identification of its state of conservation is important to chose the best method of restoration. The identification of the chemical and physic features of the wood though the measurement of its content of lignin and cellulose and the estimation of the conservation of this crystalline structure is essential to determine the degree of decay of the artifact (Sandak et al. 2010).