Investigations on fire‐gilding

Fire-gilding is a historic technique for the application of golden layers on number different base materials utilizing gold amalgam. This leaves significant amount Hg in layer, giving archeometrists reliable indicator to identify fire-gildings. Recent findings presumably fire-gilded objects have shown several cases significantly lower content than previously studied objects. prompted synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence investigation into distribution along material–gilding interface, as well series measurements regarding development samples during artificial aging. work presents laboratory-prepared fire-gildings, indicating an enrichment at interface silver samples. Notably, such missing copper Further, it confirmed that typically do not undercut bulk 5%. In this light, seems improbable ancient contain <5% are fire-gilded. The results presented study might lead non-destructive method interface. be obtained by combination and also unambiguously which top layer altered.