Unravelling the mysteries of ancient metal scrolls with high-resolution neutron tomography visualisation

In antiquity, various types of thin metal sheets were used as materials on which to inscribe texts, and then tightly rolled up. It is necessary to have access to their interior for decipherment. The condition of ancient metal scrolls is often very poor. Their treatment is one of the most problematic in ancient metals conservation. This experiment seeks to establish an innovative, non-invasive method for ‘virtually’ unrolling ancient metal scrolls. The methodology will be widely applicable; similar artefacts are found across the Ancient world. We propose to analyse 6 samples of lead and copper scrolls from the collections of the Israel Antiquities Authority. The objects are from securely dated Roman-Byzantine archaeological contexts. We request 4 days on IMAT to carry out high resolution neutron tomography of the artefacts. Two days on GEM will be requested to run in parallel.