Analytical approaches to Egyptian goldwork

Abstract

• The structure and composition of ancient gold objects retain information about their long history of manufacture, from the exploitation of the ore to the finishing touches, as well as evidence of their use, deposition, and degradation. By developing an efficient analytical strategy, it is possible to retrieve that information. This chapter sets the necessary foundation to explore fully the analytical results presented in the following chapters of this volume. The techniques employed in the analyses of the Egyptian jewellery are described and the analytical parameters provided. For more established techniques, only brief introductions are presented, while more recent developments are presented in greater detail.