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Materialographic sample preparation of ancient copper materials

  • H.-H. Cloeren

    was born in 1961. He started his career as a material tester in a steel mill and then specialized in metallography.

    Since 2004 he is owner and managing director of Cloeren Technology GmbH with the focus on product development, devices for materialographic sample preparation, consumables, contract materialography and damage analysis.

    He is also Lecturer at the advanced training seminar of the DGM and author of various publications and of the reference book “Materialographic preparation methods”. Last but not least, he is also interested in studying archaeological artifacts.
Published/Copyright: November 27, 2022
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Practical Metallography
From the journal Practical Metallography Volume 59 Issue 12

Abstract

The metallographic preparation of samples from classical antiquity requires the use of very gentle preparation techniques. On the one hand, this is necessary since the samples provided are often very small and on the other hand, because the remaining sample material can be inserted back into the original object.

Both sample preparation and microstructural evaluation may offer insights into the manufacture of the objects, for example whether casting, heat treatment or reshaping had taken place. In addition, corrosion products on the sample surfaces can be characterized. The results of the metallographic preparation of three different ancient copper objects are presented: 1. A bronze vessel from Gordion. 2. Bronze roof tiles from Caligula’s Nemi ships. 3. Roman copper nails from Carnuntum.

Kurzfassung

Bei der metallographischen Präparation von antiken Proben sind sehr schonende Präparationstechniken einzusetzen. Dies ist einerseits notwendig, da die zur Verfügung gestellten Proben oft sehr klein sind und andererseits kann verbleibendes Probenmaterial wieder in das Original eingesetzt werden.

Durch die Präparation und Auswertung des Gefüges kann auf die Herstellung der Teile zurückgeschlossen werden, wie z. B. Gießen, Wärmebehandlung oder Verformung. An den Oberflächen der Proben können auch die Korrosionsprodukte charakterisiert werden. Die Ergebnisse der metallographischen Präparationen an drei verschiedenen, antiken Kupfergegenständen werden gezeigt: 1. Bronzeschale aus Gordion. 2. Bronzene Dachbleche der Caligula – Schiffe vom Nemisee. 3. Römische Kupfernägel aus Carnuntum.

Keywords: Preparation technique; classical antiquity; copper objects
Schlagwörter: Präparationstechnik; Antike; Kupfergegenstände

About the author

H.-H. Cloeren

was born in 1961. He started his career as a material tester in a steel mill and then specialized in metallography.

Since 2004 he is owner and managing director of Cloeren Technology GmbH with the focus on product development, devices for materialographic sample preparation, consumables, contract materialography and damage analysis.

He is also Lecturer at the advanced training seminar of the DGM and author of various publications and of the reference book “Materialographic preparation methods”. Last but not least, he is also interested in studying archaeological artifacts.

References / Literatur

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Received: 2022-07-07
Accepted: 2022-08-03
Published Online: 2022-11-27
Published in Print: 2022-11-30

© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston, Germany

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https://doi.org/10.1515/pm-2022-0071
Keywords for this article
Preparation technique; classical antiquity; copper objects

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Contents
  2. Editorial
  3. Editorial
  4. Slags from Bronze Age copper production in Acqua Fredda
  5. Microstructure of an extraordinary Bronze Age copper ingot with a high antimony content
  6. Metallography on a sickle fragment from the Drassburg/Burgenland hoard find
  7. Materialographic sample preparation of ancient copper materials
  8. Picture of the Month
  9. Picture of the Month
  10. People
  11. Interview with guest editor Prof. Roland Haubner
  12. News
  13. News
  14. Meeting Dairy
  15. Meeting Diary
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