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Illuminating the past: X-ray analysis of our cultural heritage

Nature Reviews Materials volume 3, pages 285–287 (2018)Cite this article

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To protect our cultural heritage, it is essential that we understand the material properties of artefacts. Detailed information can be obtained on complex and often highly degraded materials using synchrotron X-ray analysis, aiding our ability to design effective stabilization and remediation strategies.

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Fig. 1: Using X-ray analysis in the conservation of the Mary Rose.

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Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges support from the Mary Rose Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund. This work has involved collaborations with the University of Kent (Heritage Lottery Fund), Diamond Light Source, the University of Glasgow (Leverhulme Trust Grant No. RPG-2015-134) and University College London (co-funded by the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Diamond Light Source as part of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Science and Engineering in Arts, Heritage and Archaeology).

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  1. Mary Rose Trust, College Road, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, UK

    Eleanor J. Schofield

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  1. Eleanor J. Schofield
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Correspondence to Eleanor J. Schofield.

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The author declares no competing interests.

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Mary Rose Trust: www.maryrose.org

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Schofield, E.J. Illuminating the past: X-ray analysis of our cultural heritage. Nat Rev Mater 3, 285–287 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-018-0037-4

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