Determination of Characteristic Trace Elements in a Middle Age Bronze Door of the Augsburg Cathedral by Using Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA)

Abstract

Neutron activation analysis (NAA) was used to analyze samples from an old bronze door of the Augsburg Cathedral, in order to establish a reliable screening method for a total of 35 different reliefs and more than 100 other bronze components on this object, manufactured in the 11th century. Based on the fingerprint method, two bronze heads could be confirmed as copies of their neighboring counterparts. This result is an important indication for an early, local, and probably »careful« preservation in the past.