An Approach to Microanalysis and Conservation of Silver - Copper Object in Agriculture Museum, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

This research dealt examining, analysis and treatment of a silver - copper belt, it exhibited in Agriculture Museum in Cairo. This research aims to study the ancient silver alloy; because of the successful examination and analysis helps in the treatment of old metal objects and then maintain them. The analysis of archaeological objects requires simultaneously non-destructive (the objects are unique and precious), versatile (samples with different geometry), sensitive (trace elements are often important) and multi-elemental methods. In this paper, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) employed to diagnose the characteristic morphology and environmental effects of the silver-copper object. X- Ray diffraction (XRD) used to identify the mineralogical composition of samples, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP) used to determine the accurate elemental composition of the silver-copper object. The results obtained by this research showed that the alloy containing about 22% silver, 65% copper, and it covered with copper corrosion products, these results represent the correct diagnosis, which will help us to understand the fabrication of ancient silver-copper alloy, which is still needed more studies.

Keywords

• treatment silver
• copper object
• ICP-OES
• : Ancient silver alloys؛