Microstructural and corrosion studies of an archaeological iron knife
Implications for Conservation
Dados Bibliográficos
| ID | 7472155 |
|---|---|
| Autores | Muhammad Abdulhameed Shoaib (South Valley University), Mai Rifai, Mai M Rifai (Cairo University), Nabil Abdel Ghany (National Research Centre), Yussri Salem (0000-0001-5098-8772, South Valley University, autor correspondente) |
| Ano | 2026 |
| Volume | 18 |
| Fascículo | 3 |
| Data de publicação | 2026-03-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Sim |
| Open Access | Sim |
| Tipo | ARTICLE |
| Periódico | Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Identificadores do periódico | ISSN: 1866-9557 • E-ISSN: 1866-9565 |
| Editora | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12520-025-02403-3 |
| OpenAlex | W7127355526 |
| Idioma | EN |
| Referências citadas | 54 |
This research presents a metallographic study of an archaeological iron knife from the Nubian civilization. The study aims to characterize the structural and chemical composition of the metal, analyze the morphology and formation mechanisms of corrosion products, and, finally, conduct a treatment and conservation plan based on the obtained results. Several analytical and investigative techniques were employed, including scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), reflected-light microscopy (RLM), portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), micro-Raman spectroscopy, and USB digital microscopy. The results revealed that the knife was made of bloomery wrought iron, predominantly consisting of the ferrite phase, with slag inclusions dispersed throughout the structure. Furthermore, the investigation revealed the presence of an incomplete and irregular pearlite phase and the twinning phenomenon, which is uncommon feature of BCC structures in general and ferrite iron in particular. Despite being buried in soil for a long time, the artifact exhibited an unusually good state of preservation, lacking typical corrosion morphologies. The corrosion appeared as a powdery superficial layer on a well-preserved original surface. Iron oxides and hydroxides, typically accompanying excavated iron artifacts, were identified. The knife’s exceptional preservation is largely attributed to the dry environmental conditions of Nubia, which limited the electrochemical activity necessary for severe corrosion. These findings provide valuable insights into the preservation mechanisms of iron artifacts in arid burial environments. Finally, the obtained results were used to carry out conservation and protection procedures for the artifact
Bronze · Corrosion · Crystal twinning · Ferrite (magnet · Iron oxide · Pearlite · Corrosion Behavior and Inhibition · Hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion behaviors in metals · Metallurgy and Cultural Artifacts
An Iron Adze of the Fifth–Fourth Centuries B.C. from Al Mina
The Nubian Past
Heated goethite and natural hematite
The Myth of Meroe and the African Iron Age
Ancient steel from Egypt
Iron artifacts from the land of Kush
Slag inclusion analyses for studying ferrous alloys employed in French medieval buildings
The iron anchors from the Tantura F shipwreck
Iron Smelting in Sudan
Tracing the Resources of Iron Working at Ancient Sagalassos (South‐west Turkey)
Metallographic Study of Iron Artefacts From the Eastern Transvaal, South Africa
An Archaeometallurgical Study of 13th‐century Arrowheads and Bolts From the Crusader Castle of Arsuf/Arsur
Mechanical Performance of Historical Wrought Iron Rods
Egyptian invasions of Nubia
Archaeometallurgical study of iron objects from a third century BC bone workshop in Xianyang, Shaanxi Province, China
Provision of iron objects in the southern borderlands of the Han Empire
A late medieval or early modern light gun barrel from the Castle Museum in Malbork-typology, technology of manufacture and identification of the smelting process
Iron smelting techniques in Eastern Sichuan Province, China --scientific analysis of smelting remains excavated from the Chengba site
The early cast iron processing technology in central China
The use of bloomery iron in Chengdu Plain during the Easter Han dynasty
Correlative microscopy and Micro-Raman spectroscopy for enhancing the evaluation of corrosion damage in archaeological objects
Archeaometallurgical finds from Barsinia, Northern Jordan
| Velocidade de citação | historical |
|---|---|
| Altamente citado | Não |