An overview on the ancient goldsmith's skill and the circulation of gold in the past: the role of x-ray based techniques

From the study of coins and casted simple objects to intricate jewellery comprising many diverse parts joined together, analytical queries on ancient goldwork concern the description of the manufacturing techniques, the identification of the authenticity and the localisation of the exploited sources of gold. Through the examination of the objects by x-ray radiography and the non-destructive elemental analysis of the gold alloys - by XRF, SEM-EDX, PIXE and SR-XRF, x-ray based techniques have always played an important role in the study of cultural heritage and, in particular, of goldwork. The aim of this article is to give a short overview of the use of the most established scientific-based techniques in the study of goldwork, with special outlining on the limitations, advantages and applications of x-ray based techniques. Two applications illustrate both the potential of examination techniques to identify the authenticity of gold jewellery and the importance of combining examination techniques and elemental analysis to describe the fabrication stages of goldwork. At last, a third example shows the significant socio-economical assumptions developed by determining the characteristic trace elements of gold when coinages are considered. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.