X-rays reveal underground finds

  • Meridian
3D images of buried objects can be created, by combining multiple X-ray photographs Credit: University of Southampton

Originally designed for the analysis of substantial engineering parts, such as jet turbine blades, the powerful scanning equipment at Southampton’s µ-VIS Centre for Computed Tomography is being used to examine Roman coins buried in three archaeological artefacts from three UK hoards.

The centre’s equipment can scan inside objects – rotating 360 degrees whilst taking thousands of 2D images, which are then used to build detailed 3D images. The university is working with the British Museum on the project.

The coins can be examined in intricate detail without the need for physical excavation or cleaning. For those recently scanned at Southampton, it has been possible to use 3D computer visualisation capabilities to read inscriptions and identify depictions of emperors on the faces of the coins – on some, the heads of Claudius II and Tetricus I have been revealed.

The three objects examined at Southampton are:

  • a cremation urn containing nine coins, dating from AD282, found in the Cotswolds. This item in particular would take months to excavate – with archaeologists needing to carefully examine bone fragments and remains to extract more information about its past.

  • an estimated 30,000 Roman coins discovered in Bath, dating to around AD270 and concreted together in a large block weighing over 100 kilograms.

  • a small pot dating to the 2nd century found in the Selby area of East Riding in Yorkshire.