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Micro-SR-XRF studies for archaeological gold identification—the case of Carpathian gold and Romanian museal objects

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Abstract

In the determination of the provenance of gold in archaeological artifacts, trace elements are more significant than the main components. Several minute fragments of natural Carpathian gold—placer and primary—and some very small (a few milligrams) fragments of archaeological items were studied using micro Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Fluorescence (micro SR-XRF) at the BESSY Synchrotron Facility in Berlin, Germany. The goal of the study was to identify the trace elements characterizing Carpathian gold, looking especially at Sn, Sb, Pb and Te, and to determine if the gold in the archaeological items is native or refined. Applications to the authentication and provenance of nine Dacian gold bracelets, koson coins and two Bronze Age items are presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Nuclear Physics, Horia Hulubei National Institute of Nuclear Physics and Engineering, PO BOX MG-6, Bucharest, 077125, Romania

    Bogdan Constantinescu & Angela Vasilescu

  2. Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Richard-Willstätter Strasse 11, 12489, Berlin, Germany

    Martin Radtke & Uwe Reinholz

Authors
  1. Bogdan Constantinescu
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  2. Angela Vasilescu
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  3. Martin Radtke
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  4. Uwe Reinholz
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Correspondence to Bogdan Constantinescu.

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Constantinescu, B., Vasilescu, A., Radtke, M. et al. Micro-SR-XRF studies for archaeological gold identification—the case of Carpathian gold and Romanian museal objects. Appl. Phys. A 99, 383–389 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-010-5624-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-010-5624-1

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