Gold hawk amulet — elemental mapping SEM

sketchfab

This gold hawk amulet (E.9075) was painstakingly reconstructed through the innovative application of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) photogrammetry methods, specifically structure from motion, which cleverly circumvented the need for photons altogether! The SEM enabled the meticulous mapping of surface elements, marking a groundbreaking first in the field of archaeology. Notably, high concentrations of silver and zinc are visible around the base of the feet and front of the legs of the amulet, suggesting that the model was likely cast from a mould previously used for other metals. This intriguing discovery implies that high-status objects were frequently produced using the same mould as lower-status ones, with the only difference being the material used. The vibrant colours used in the reconstruction correspond to the following elements: gold (Au) is rendered in bright yellow, silver (Ag) appears as a deep turquoise, copper (Cu) shines green, tin (Sn) is depicted in rich purple, and zinc (Zn) is represented by a dark pink hue. Imaging: Juliet Spedding Model building: Juliet Spedding, Charlotte Sargent, and Ardern Hulme-Beaman