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Analysis of Celtic small silver coins from Slovenia by PIXE and PGAA

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Abstract

A series of 74 small silver Celtic coins discovered on the territory of the present Slovenia and classified in 7 different types were analyzed using the methods of proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) to determine the silver and copper concentrations on the surface and in the bulk, respectively. The aim of the research was to determine the purity of the metal and the trace element content in relation with the coin type. Though no classification could be performed according to the concentrations of trace elements in the surface layer as determined by PIXE, the bulk analysis showed a two-tailed distribution of low- and higher-grade silver. This means that the base metal was supplied through two different distribution centers or that the basic alloy suffered a gradual decrease of fineness as a consequence of inflationary movements.

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Acknowledgments

Neutron measurements were done within the Trans-national Access program of the IPERION-CH H2020 project (Grant Agreement 654028), in the experiment “Bulk Analysis of Celtic Coins from Slovenia.”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 9, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Ž. Šmit

  2. Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, POB 3000, SI-1001, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Ž. Šmit

  3. Nuclear Analysis and Radiography Department MTA, Centre for Energy Research, Konkoly Thege 29-33, Budapest, 1121, Hungary

    B. Maróti & Zs. Kasztovszky

  4. National Museum of Slovenia, Prešernova 20, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    A. Šemrov & P. Kos

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  1. Ž. Šmit
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  5. P. Kos
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Correspondence to Ž. Šmit.

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Šmit, Ž., Maróti, B., Kasztovszky, Z. et al. Analysis of Celtic small silver coins from Slovenia by PIXE and PGAA. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 12, 155 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-020-01124-z

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