What X-rays Reveal About 16th Century Armour From the Mary Rose
28th April 2020
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They analysed three brass links as part of continuing scientific investigations into the artefacts recovered during the excavation of the wreck in the Solent. These links have often been found joined to make a sheet or a chain and are most likely to be from a suit of chainmail armour. By using several X-ray techniques available via the XMaS beamline to examine the surface chemistry of the links, the team were able to peer back through time to the armour’s production and reveal that these links were manufactured from an alloy of 73% copper and 27% zinc.
They’re going to be pretty embarrassed when somebody who knows the subject points out that (a) brass wasn’t use for chain mail and (b) chain mail rings were riveted, not butted.
The exceptionally high sensitivity analysis revealed traces of heavy metals, such as lead and gold, on the surface of the links, hinting at further history to the armour yet to be uncovered.
… which means that they were coated and were probably decorative.
I would have thought that they would give this sort of analysis to professionals, somebody who knew something about the period.
Guess not.