Mysterious historic artefacts to be X-rayed in Portsmouth with new equipment at Fort Cumberland
MYSTERIOUS historic artefacts will be X-rayed with new state of the art equipment helping to uncover lost secrets thanks to a new £150,000 grant.
Analysis of objects including those recovered from historic shipwrecks and archaeological sites will be boosted following funding by The Wolfson Foundation.
The grant to Historic England’s scientific and archaeological analysis centre at Fort Cumberland in Portsmouth for high resolution X-ray equipment will help uncover items obscured by deposits or rust.
The funds will allow Historic England to replace and upgrade equipment at its walk-in X-ray facility.
The X-rays will play an important role in providing a cost-effective diagnosis of the condition of artefacts while advising the best possible treatment.
The new equipment will help with wreck projects such as with artefacts recovered from the Rooswijk, which sank off the Kent coast in 1740.
The Rooswijk sank with trade-goods on board including silver coins. Many of these objects are covered with concretions – hard masses of minerals – which are likely to need the advanced new equipment.
The new technology will also improve analysis of Roman artefacts with it penetrating the build-up of dirt and debris around the object.
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England, said: ‘This generous investment will place Historic England at the forefront of heritage X-radiography for many years to come.
‘With this new technology, we will be able to analyse, conserve and better understand many more objects recovered from historic shipwrecks or excavated from archaeological sites. We are very grateful to The Wolfson Foundation for their support to this vital grant.’
Paul Ramsbottom, chief executive of The Wolfson Foundation, said: ‘We are excited to support this important piece of equipment - bringing together Wolfson's long-standing interests in science and heritage.
‘The beauty of X-ray technology is the way in which it reveals hidden secrets of the past as well as helping with conservation. We are particularly delighted to be supporting the heritage sector at this challenging moment for us all.’
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