An adapted method for researching ancient Egyptian mirrors

Abstract

Some metallurgical analyses have been conducted on Ancient Egyptian mirrors; however, both compositional and microstructural data are necessary in order to fully reconstruct the manufacturing sequences of these artefacts. Traditional sampling and analytical methods for researching metal artefacts have their limitations for investigating mirrors in particular; for example, a mounted ‘V’ cross-section is often not a viable sampling option as it is too visually destructive to a complete disk, and surface analysis only provides limited compositional data.

These observations resulted in the adaptation of deep-filed edge abrasion sampling, based on coin studies, with SEM-EDX analyses for Egyptian mirrors. This paper will establish how the methodology gathers reliable compositional and microstructural data while remaining visually discreet. This study demonstrates the methodology on four mirrors varying in condition, shape, and size in comparison to the traditional mounted ‘V’ cross-section taken in the 1990s from the same specimens.