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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*
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
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. 2242.Google Scholar
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