Radiology Provides Insights into Archaeology and Fine Arts

Radiologists are now helping art historians verify original pieces of art. Moreover, they are providing insights for archeologists by using radiographic techniques to date ancient artifacts. The importance and current role of radiology in archaeology and art was recently discussed at a world radiology meeting.

At the European Congress of Radiology (ECR), on March 10, 2008 in Vienna, Austria, Dr. Pierpaolo Pipan, radiologist at Azienda Ospedaliero University of Trieste (Italy), presented findings from a multidisciplinary archaeological project, conducted in northeastern Italy by bioarchaeologists and paleoradiologists, and supported by various cultural and medical institutions of the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

The importance of radiology is not only proven by the wide variety of its application in medicine, but is also underlined by its relevance in archaeology, according to Dr. Pipan. The application of X-rays to archaeologic objects with the intention of gaining insight into origin, construction, and chemical composition, dates back to the days of the discovery of radiation. Currently, X-ray techniques such as X-ray fluorescence and diffraction are standard tools. These methods detect a wide variety of elements on small samples with great sensitivity and with minimal harm to the artifact, and are particularly important in the anthropologic and archaeologic field as well as in the authentication of subjects in fine arts.

In archaeology, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the related Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) can provide elemental analysis for the entire periodic table. Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is a quantitative spectroscopic technique that measures the elemental composition and electronic state of the elements that exist within a material. It has a number of particular strengths: oxidation states are identified, all elements are measured simultaneously, and nonmetals that are inadequately studied by conventional methods may be readily observed by XPS.

For anthropologists as well as archaeologists, computed tomography (CT) scans were a huge leap from traditional X-rays. They are far more sensitive and able to differentiate marginal tissue densities. A specific role of multi-slice CT is the evaluation of excavated remains analyzed in the whole soil block. They can produce three-dimensional images that can be manipulated to reveal specific and subtle body details. For archaeologists, this means they can get accurate information without the need to disturb the artifact too much.

Dr. Pipan explained in his presentation that MSCT is used on naturally or artificially mummified corpses, human or animal, to perform nondestructive, high-resolution analyses. MSCT is also extensively employed on skulls and selected bones from archaeologic excavations of early medieval cemeteries to study the physical and ethnologic characteristics of autochthonic and invader populations of Friuli historical land; traditional computed radiography (CR) is usually applied to find abnormalities inside ancient bones and allow differential diagnosis in paleopathologic findings.


Related Links:
Azienda Ospedaliero University of Trieste