Voir à travers le métal

Abstract

X-ray as a method for the study of archaeological metal artefacts is used since the 1950s in different institutions such as the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum in Mainz or the Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Bonn. Since then, this technique did not stop being used and is now widespread in archaeology. Since a few years it also evolved with the development of computed applications: digital radiography is replacing traditional films and micro-CT enables 3D visualization of the inner structure of the studied samples. These methods find various applications in archaeology. In the specific case of copper alloy objects, they enable to study them from another angle, revealing invisible aspects from the surface. It offers the opportunity of gathering information about the objects, especially about their production. Beyond the level of the object, these imaging techniques, when performed on a sufficient number of artefacts, are also of particular interest for the study of the cultural context these objects were produced in, especially thanks to the reconstruction of their production techniques. These are indeed precious witnesses left by craftsmen through the material culture components they produced. This point will be illustrated by the presentation of ongoing research on the production techniques of Bronze Age swords. In this case radiography and micro-CT scanning enable the identification of different technical traditions which will be the basis of a discussion of the exchanges these swords were in the centre of, also including the immaterial transfers.

Keywords

• X-ray tomography
• computed tomography
• metallurgy
• copper alloys
• material culture