The origins of mercury gilding

Lins, P.A.; Oddy, W. A.

doi:10.1016/0305-4403(75)90007-2

Cited by 51 publications

(31 citation statements)

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“…The determination of their composition, corrosion products and microstructural properties provide significant information with regard to dating, authentication and minting, of obvious significance for archaeometric purposes [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Available analytical techniques include, among others, scanning electrochemical microscopy/energy dispersive microanalysis (SEM/EDX) [7], energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis (EDXRF) [8,9], proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) [10,11], synchrotron X-ray fluorescence analysis (SRXRF) [12], X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) [13], neutron activation analysis (NAA) [14] and deep activation analysis (PAA) [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Modified Tafel Analysis to the Identification of Corrosion Products on Archaeological Metals Using Voltammetry of Microparticles

Doménech

Doménech‐Carbó

Pasíes³

et al. 2011

Electroanalysis

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An operational modification of Tafel analysis, applied to the intermediate region of square wave voltammetric curves, devoted to the identification of corrosion products on archaeological metal, is described. This is based on the voltammetry of microparticles methodology using conventional abrasive conditioning of the electrode, as well as one-touch and layer-by-layer techniques. The proposed methodology is applied to the identification of copper and silver corrosion products in mediaeval silver-copper coins from the Libertad street hoard in Valencia (Spain).

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Modified Tafel Analysis to the Identification of Corrosion Products on Archaeological Metals Using Voltammetry of Microparticles

Doménech

Doménech‐Carbó

Pasíes³

et al. 2011

Electroanalysis

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“…These factors can cause different chemical and structural transformations in the artefact giving rise to the formation of a wide panorama range of possible mineral species [4,8,[10][11][12]. The BSE image of Figure 2 shows that the thickness of the gilded layer is less than 10 μm, as often observed by other authors in Roman and Barbarians artefacts [1,[14][15] and EDS analyses do not detect the presence of Au and Hg in the substrate under the gilded layer thus excluding the occurrence of an Au-Cu inter-diffusion phenomenon, as instead which has been observed by other authors [23]. BSE and OM images also show that a granular structure is somewhere visible somewhere in the plating, with porous areas and flattened rounded grains whose diameter ranges from about 1 up to 3 μm.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 76%

Surface investigation of naturally corroded gilded copper-based objects

Ingo

Riccucci

Lavorgna

et al. 2016

Applied Surface Science

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“…15 29,30) and are dated to the Chan Kuo or Warring States period (475-221 BC). We do not know when exactly the earliest amalgam gilt objects are to be found in Japan, however; this must have happened at a time in which both mercury and gold were available.…”

Section: Distillation Of Mercury and Early Amalgam Gild-mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury Gilding in Today’s Japan: An Amalgam of Old and New

Giumlía-Mair¹,

Morimoto²,

Ota³

2014

ISIJ Int.

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Mercury gilding (amalgam gilding or fire gilding) is an ancient technique, and it is apparently attested in the West from around the mid first millennium BC. We must note, however, that only very few gilt objects have been properly analysed and that, until now, the problem of the origin of mercury gilding is generally very little researched in different parts of the world. The earliest examples of amalgam gilding in Asia seem to come from China and are dated to the Chan Kuo or Warring States period (475-221 BC). It is unknown exactly when the earliest amalgam gilt objects appear in Japan. This technique, however, seems to have been used surely since the Nara period (710-794 AD), and it was widely employed in the Edo period.In recent times, this technique has disappeared from all decorative metal workshops, with very few exceptions, because of the high toxicity of mercury. A notable exception is the Morimoto Kazari Kanagu Seisakujo in Kyoto, a specialized workshop that is very active in the restoration and reproduction of decorative metal details in the field of Cultural Heritage. The workshop has operated since 1877 (Meiji period) by using ancient techniques, including amalgam gilding, to produce architectural metal fittings, metal decorations of shrines and ceremonial utensils. In this paper, the beginnings of the technique will be briefly outlined, and the procedures employed in the Morimoto workshop for the production of traditional decorative metalwork will be described and discussed.

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The origins of mercury gilding

Cited by 51 publications

References 1 publication

Application of Modified Tafel Analysis to the Identification of Corrosion Products on Archaeological Metals Using Voltammetry of Microparticles

Application of Modified Tafel Analysis to the Identification of Corrosion Products on Archaeological Metals Using Voltammetry of Microparticles

Surface investigation of naturally corroded gilded copper-based objects

Mercury Gilding in Today’s Japan: An Amalgam of Old and New

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