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IDENTIFICATION OF FORGERIES BY MEASURING TIN ISOTOPES IN CORRODED BRONZE OBJECTS*
Author(s) -
NICKEL D.,
HAUSTEIN M.,
LAMPKE T.,
PERNICKA E.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
archaeometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-4754
pISSN - 0003-813X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4754.2011.00598.x
Subject(s) - bronze , tin , corrosion , materials science , metallurgy , layer (electronics) , optical microscope , composite material , scanning electron microscope
The reliable identification of fakes consisting of bronze often presents problems, because traditional methods such as stylistic studies, optical microscopy, chemical analysis or X‐ray diffraction of the corrosion may not be conclusive. We present a method that is based on the comparison of the tin isotope ratios 122 Sn/ 116 Sn and 117 Sn/ 119 Sn in the metal and in the adherent corrosion layer. An artificial patina is usually generated within a short time period. It has been observed that such a procedure leads to a depletion of the light tin isotopes in the corrosion layer, while in naturally corroded authentic archaeological objects no isotopic fractionation has been detected. The method has also been applied to archaeological objects and it could be confirmed, among other examples, that the famous ‘Sky Disc of Nebra’ is authentic.