Neutron imaging helped uncover historical discrepancies hidden in a collection of illegally traded Iron Age swords. But nine ancient Iranian weapons are not mass counterfeits, says one report. Announcement on October 8th Researchers of ISIS’s neutron and muon sources say they are fusing pieces of metal from several different artifacts to create “Frankenstein’s monster” knockoffs to increase their potential black market value. Assembled by forming.
To determine changes to the sword some 3,000 years ago, researchers used a tool not often seen in archeology. As explained in a study published Tuesday, archeology journalCranfield University, ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, and the British Museum, a team used neutron tomography to analyze weapons recently seized by authorities at the UK border. Instead of more common X-ray techniques, the device’s neutron beam can produce renderings of internal features of objects even when surrounded by dense materials such as bronze or iron. This is particularly useful for organic materials such as adhesives, or for pinpointing the individual composition of an object’s materials.
In this case, the analysis detected not only adhesive, but also modern drill holes, identified by their circular cross-sections and all-too-perfect contours. Researchers also found a fragment of a drill bit embedded in one of the swords. The forger also replaced the missing original iron part of the blade with bronze. Based on the materials and markings, the research team estimates that the nine pastiches were likely assembled very recently.
This is not the first example of a modified black market sword artifact. The study’s authors note that similar fusions have been discovered since at least the 1970s, when counterfeiters often relied on soldering instead of glue.
“It remains to be seen whether this is truly a chronological change or simply represents intergroup differences between contemporary forgery traditions,” the researchers explain in their paper. But these falsifications have implications far beyond the bloated black market trade, muddying historic waters for experts.
[Related: Egyptologists find sword possibly wielded against the ‘Sea Peoples.’]
“Early Iron Age Iranian knife weapons play an important role in the debate about the development of metallurgy in the ancient Near East,” the researchers wrote in their study. “Its ubiquity in museum collections, and the simultaneous presence of bronze, iron, and bimetallic forms, gives it prominence in discussions of early ironworking technology from the late 2nd millennium BC to the early 1st millennium BC. Masu.”
in Tuesday’s announcementNathaniel Erb-Saturo, senior lecturer in archeology at Cranfield University, said Iran has been a “center of metallurgical innovation” for thousands of years, but many details about the process remain unclear.
“Bimetallic objects are important to our understanding. [society’s] It’s a transition from the use of bronze to the use of iron,” added study lead author Alex Lozinka, a PhD student in archeology at Cranfield University. “Illegal modifications further complicate this task.”
Currently on display (in context) at the British Museum, researchers said the sword would eventually be repatriated to Iran. Meanwhile, Rozinka and colleagues have shown that neutron tomography can be a valuable asset when scrutinizing antiques believed to be genuine. However, the latest findings indicate that the technology may soon be in high demand.
ISIS muon and neutron source imaging scientist Anna Fedrigo said on Tuesday that “neutron analysis is critical in revealing the true extent of modern modifications of ancient Iranian swords,” and then… He warned: 1728417407 Reveals that it is a pastiche. ”
