Speaker
Description
Radiography using X-rays has been established in archaeology for many decades. The first publications on X-rayed mummies appeared shortly after Röntgen's discovery and with the development of more powerful tubes, radiographs of ceramic and metal objects were published. The Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum (RGZM) in Mainz (Germany), now Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (Leiza), acquired its first X-ray equipment in 1957. Since moving into the new building in 2022, a computed tomography scanner has become available in addition to a modern 2D X-ray device. In everyday practical application both methods are used for non-destructive testing and reconstruction of archaeological materials, before invasive material characterization methods are applied. The lecture reports on the combined application of non-destructive and invasive techniques to characterize variable archaeological types of finds like ceramics or metal objects, also with regard to the limitations of the methods.
