Roman coins from the “Brettii and Enotri” museum: a non-destructive archaeometric study by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and X-ray microtomography

Abstract

Two of a group of thirty coins dating between to 1st century BC and 1st century AD, found in the so-called "Grotta delle Ninfe" near Cerchiara di Calabria (Calabria, Italy), and preserved in the display case of the Brettii and Enotri Museum in Cosenza (Calabria, Italy) have been under archaeometric investigation. This paper aims to understand the oxidation processes, know constituent material and find hidden signs or inscriptions on the coins by means of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) portable spectrometer and X-ray microtomography (X-ray μ-CT) in order to make the hypothetical inscriptions readable, to know the period of manufacture and their provenance. The coins collection will be analysed in future research to make the inscriptions readable and identify the coins' provenience and typology.