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Neutron Activation Analysis of Microgram Samples of Sasanian Coins and Metallic Art

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

Adon A. Gordus
Adon A. Gordus*
Affiliation:
The University of Michigan, Dept. of Chemistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109
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Abstract

Neutron activation analysis of microgram metal-rubbing samples from over 2,000 Sasanian (Persia: 224-651 AD) silver coins and a few hundred art objects allow grouping the data in terms of the gold-impurity levels. About 1,000 of the silver coins were from the reign of Khusrau ∥ (591-628 AD) and represent various mints and dates. For the early coins, mg gold/100 silver values of less than 0.3 are associated with relatively modern fakes. The authentic coins and authentic silver Sasanian art almost always have values in the range of 0.3-1.0. Questionable ‘Sasanian’ art objects in private collections usually have goldimpurity levels of less than 0.3.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 352: Symposium – Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology IV , 1995 , 613
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

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References

REFERENCES

1. Gordus, A. A. and Gordus, J. P. in Proc. of 1988 Coinage of the Americas Conference: The Coinage of the Viceroyalty of Peru and Its Successor States, edited by Bischoff, W. L. (Am. Numismatic Soc., New York, 1989), pp. 22–42.Google Scholar
2. Gordus, A. A. and Gordus, J. P. in Archaeological Chemistry: Advances in Chemistry Series No. 138, edited by Gould, R. F. (Am. Chem. Soc., Washington, DC, 1974), pp. 124–147.Google Scholar
3. Gordus, A. A. and Shimada, I., Material Issues in Art and Archaeology IV, edited by Galvan, J. L., Druzik, J., and Vandiver, P. B. (Mater. Res. Soc. Proc., this volume, Pittsburgh, PA, 1994).Google Scholar
4. Gordus, A. A. and Craig, A. K., Material Issues in Art and Archaeology IV, edited by Galvan, J. L., Druzik, J., and Vandiver, P. B. (Mater. Res. Soc. Proc., this volume, Pittsburgh, PA, 1994).Google Scholar