ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025 24 Fig. 4, which also shows a sample for metallurgical investigation and one of the fracture surfaces. The breakage was extremely brittle and characterized by intergranular cracking. A collaborative investigation used optical and SEM metallography and fractography; bulk chemical analyses: XRD, XRF, combustion + infrared (IR) detection; and metallographic surface chemical analyses: SEM + EDS, electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) + WDS[9]. The most important results were that the freshly broken bar was made from bog iron ore containing 0.25-0.52 wt% phosphorus; and with an extremely low carbon content, 0.0033 wt%, at the breakage location. It was concluded that local decarbur- ization occurred during forge welding the pile-shoe, allowing grain growth and phosphorus segregation to the grain boundaries and ensuing brittleness[9]. CONCLUSION Noninvasive examination of ancient metal artifacts is important, yet it cannot provide the detailed information obtainable from invasive techniques. This is especially true when artifacts contain “hidden” damage and there is also a need for accurate quantitative analyses. Cultural heritage management, particularly of damaged artifacts, requires invasive techniques besides noninvasive ones. There should be an appropriate balance between noninvasive and invasive investigations and techniques[10]. ~AM&P For more information: Omid Oudbashi, senior lecturer, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, omid.oudbashi@yahoo.com; Russell Wanhill, Emmeloord, the Netherlands, rjhwanhill@gmail.com. References 1. R.J.H. Wanhill and O. Oudbashi, Fractography of Ancient Metallic Artifacts: Archaeometallurgical Fracture Analysis and Restoration and Conservation Aspects, Fractography, Volume 12, ASM Handbook, ASM International, Materials Park, OH 44073, p 49-63, 2024. 2. R.J.H. Wanhill, Archaeological Silver Embrittlement and Fracture Mechanics Applications, Metallography, Microstructure and Analysis, 12(2), p 219-232, 2023. 3. O. Oudbashi, R. Naseri, and M. Malekzadeh, Technical Studies on the Bronze Age Metal Artefacts from the Graveyard of Deh Dumen, Southwestern Iran (Third Millennium BC), Archaeometry, 58(6), p 947-965, 2016. 4. O. Oudbashi and R. Naseri, Archaeometallurgy of Tin Bronze in the Deh Dumen Bronze Age Graveyard, Southwest of Iran, Proceedings of International Conference AIE4, June 1-3, 2015, Madrid, CSIC, p 105-114, 2017. 5. R.J.H. Wanhill and O. Oudbashi, Archaeometallurgical Fracture Analysis, AM&P, 181(4), p 28-30, 2023. 6. L. Robbiola, J.M. Blengino, and C. Fiaud, Morphology and Mechanisms of Formation of Natural Patinas on Archaeological Cu–Sn Alloys, Corrosion Science, 40(12), p 2083-2111, 1998. 7. O. Oudbashi, H.P. Colburn, and F. Carò, Coins from Qasr-e Abu Nasr: Archaeometallurgical and Numismatic Studies on Pre-Islamic and Islamic Coins Excavated in South-Central Iran, Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 15, 2023, doi.org/10.1007/ s12520-023-01847-9. 8. R.J.H. Wanhill, et al., Damage Assessment and Preservation of an Egyptian Silver Vase, Archaeometry, 40(1), p 123-137, 1998. 9. R.J.H. Wanhill, et al., Investigation of a Broken Pile-shoe from a Roman Bridge, Historical Metallurgy, 41(1), p 32-39, 2007. 10. J.P. Northover, Non-invasive Analysis: The Mirage and the Reality, METAL 2022, Proceedings of the Interim Meeting of the ICOM-CC Metals Working Group, p 212-220, 2022. Fig. 4 — Visual images of the broken pile-shoe and an SEM-SE fractograph showing brittle intergranular fracture. GET ENGAGED, GET INVOLVED, GET CONNECTED The ASM Archaeometallurgy Committee is an active group of ASM members with interest and experience in the study and characterization of historic metals and artifacts. Committee projects include developing a special journal issue and organizing IMAT conference programming. Members with similar interests are welcome to join. For more information, contact staff liaison Scott Henry, scott.henry@asminternational.org.
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