Possibilities and Prospects of CT and Micro-CT Applications in Archaeological Research | Sibirskie Istoricheskie Issledovaniia – Siberian Historical Research. 2025. № 3. DOI: 10.17223/2312461X/49/8

Possibilities and Prospects of CT and Micro-CT Applications in Archaeological Research

Computed tomography (CT) and computed micro-tomography (micro-CT, gCT) are currently among the most productive and promising methods of noninvasive artefact analysis. These techniques have enabled the non-destructive preservation of archaeological objects, as well as their reconstruction, study of the internal structure and visualization of internal components, inclusions and damage without the destruction of the object. However, due to the inherent limitations of the method, CT is seldom employed in the context of archaeological research conducted within Russianspeaking communities. The drawbacks inherent to the method include the considerable expense and relative infrequency of the requisite equipment, particularly industrial micro-CT scanners, necessary for the scanning of samples at high resolution. Furthermore, there is a requirement for training and experience in the utilization of both equipment and software for the post-processing of scans. The method's limitations should be specified, including the significant duration of the scanning process and the large size of the resultant files. These factors render the study of mass archaeological or paleontological material extremely difficult. However, CT is actively employed in the practice of foreign archaeological research, which necessitates the borrowing of useful experience. The proposed paper discusses the possibilities of the CT method for the study of archaeological artefacts from different materials and periods. CT is actively used for the study of artefacts made of bone, horn, teeth, stone, ceramics, metal, glass, textiles, and papyrus; in the study of manuscripts, wall paintings, frescoes, paintings, etc. Notably, the CT method can be employed as a non-destructive tool for assessing age and stress periods on human and animal dentin, as well as a tool for assessing the quality of collagen in bone. The authors declare no conflict of interests.

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Keywords

computed tomography, micro-computed tomography, bone and stone tools, mobile art, ceramics, metal artefacts, textiles, glass

Authors

Name	Organization	E-mail
Bocharova Ekaterina N.	Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences	bocharova.e@gmail.com
Kozhevnikova Darya V.	Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences	kozhevnikovadarya@yandex.ru
Kolobova Ksenya A.	Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences	kolobovak@yandex.ru

Всего: 3

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