XR-CT of the Melsonby Hoard

I’m excited to share some great work that is happening at Durham University, using X-ray computed tomography (XR-CT) to investigate the remarkable Melsonby hoard, which was discovered in North Yorkshire in 2021. The hoard includes a collection ironwork and copper alloy items, most of which are associated with horse harnesses and Iron Age vehicle parts. The hoard was sent to the University of Southampton’s μ-VIS X-Ray Imaging Centre for XR-CT analysis due to the exceptional size of one of the soil blocks recovered during excavation. Weighing approximately 250 kg, the block contained a dense concentration of artefacts including iron tyres and harness fittings, cemented in compacted soil. This posed a significant challenge for conventional scanning systems, and is rather beyond the scale of what we can scan in our NEMCAS XR-CT facility! Southampton’s μ-VIS centre operates the largest high-energy micro-focus CT scanner of any UK university, capable of imaging very large, dense materials.  The scan has revealed amazing fine details, such as the fish motif on the base of a crushed cauldron, and is such a great example of what this technology can do.

As someone who has long worked at the intersection of science and archaeology, I find this technology endlessly fascinating. At Durham, we’re fortunate to have access to a suite of XR-CT systems. In NEMCAS, located in the Department of Archaeology, we have the Bruker SkyScan 1273, which is ideal for scanning of small to medium-sized artefacts at lower energy, and as I mentioned in an earlier blog this month, we're working at the opposite end of the scale to the Melsonby hoard - scanning barley stems and imaging the internal cellular structure. We are currently awaiting delivery of the Poseidon X4, which will enable scanning of smaller objects at higher resolution. These are complemented by the Zeiss Versa 410 and EasyTom L systems in the Department of Engineering, which provide imaging capabilities for larger and denser samples that require higher energy scanning, and can also provide mechanical testing. Together, these facilities allow us to examine the structure of archaeological materials in unprecedented detail, from coins and ceramics to bone, soil blocks, and more! Expect to see more on XR-CT over the coming months as I report on the various projects we're supporting, and the publications that are in the pipeline.