Technical University Munich

The Munich Archaeometry Group

Technical University Munich
The Munich Archaeometry Group
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The Munich Archaeometry Group



Celtic vessel
Deer incision on a Celtic vessel


The Munich Archaeometry group is located at the Physics Department of the Technical University of Munich.
A small number of archaeologists, physicists, chemists, geologists and soil scientists join in an interdisciplinary study of archaeological ceramics from the Andes and from Celtic and Roman Europe.
The scientific methods used are neutron activation analysis, thin section microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Neutron activation analysis serves to characterise and sort the material. Thin section microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy give information on the mineral content present in the pottery. Such data and similar results on appropriate clays fired under controlled conditions in the laboratory are used in an attempt to obtain information on the production techniques used in antiquity. (See paper on Celtic coin moulds: What Mössbauer spectroscopy can tell us about precious metal working in Celtic times)

Last update: 15.08.2011