Art restorer Frederik Levarda uses the mobile XRF instrument, a device that uses x-ray energy to determine the elements present in museum pieces, even without the need for sampling. XRF is short for X-ray fluorescent spectroscopy and this technology is used to better understand archaeological artefacts, their composition, history, and even condition. For example, in this piece of metal iron armour found at the Nečven fortress, the XRF device revealed that it also contains gold (Au) and minute quantities of mercury (Hg), which are indicators of the gold-plating technique using fire, called fire gilding. Fire gilding is a process used to coat metal surfaces with an alloy of mercury and gold. Then the object is heated for the mercury to evaporate, leaving only a layer of pure gold on the object.
The mobile XRF device (Hitachi X-MET8000) was procured for the conservation and art restoration workshop at the Krka Eco Campus in Puljane within the EU project “Unknown Krka: hidden treasures of the upper and middle course”.
News from the restoration workshop