3D X-ray technique helps unravel archaeological mysteries
A 3D scan of the chainmail shirt fused with other objects from the dig site.
PIXE/EPFL
Swiss scientists have been able to identify unique objects unearthed from a Celtic settlement dating to Roman times using 3D images generated by a CT scanner.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/ac
A chainmail shirt believed to be over 2,000 years old was discovered at a dig in 2012 in the town of Le Mermont in canton Vaud in western Switzerland. However, it was fused with dozens of other objects making it difficult to analyse. Researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) used a computer tomography (CT) scanner to obtain 3D images of the shirt. The images were then used to reproduce the individual items using a 3D printer, leaving the fragile shirt intact.
“This research shows the potential applications of CT scanning technology in archeology, where finds are often complex, deformed, distorted or fused,” said study leader Pascal Turberg. “Using 3D imaging, we can pick these objects apart and reconstruct them.”
Thanks to the 3D X-ray method scientists were able to identify more than 160 objects tangled in the shirt compared to just 30 using 2D X-ray images. Some of these objects have been recreated on a 3D printer and include a furniture staple, two fibulas (Roman brooches with a spring-fastening mechanism), a cutting edge, and a pin for a cooking pot handle.
The recreated objects can be viewed at an exhibition at the Cantonal Museum of Archeology and History in Lausanne between April 26 and August 25.
More
More
Divers discover 5,000-year-old shoe in Swiss lake
This content was published on
Divers have made an extraordinary discovery during excavations at a lake near Zurich. They found a shoe dating back to the Neolithic age of around 3300-2800 B.C.
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
Swiss study predicts rise in global antibiotic use in farming
This content was published on
Global antibiotic use in livestock farming could rise by 2040, says a study by FAO and the University of Zurich. Switzerland expects minimal change.
Initiative calls for 36-week parental leave in Switzerland
This content was published on
The initiative proposes 18 weeks of non-transferable leave per parent, to be taken alternately within ten years of implementation.
Over a quarter of Swiss Catholics consider leaving the church
This content was published on
In Switzerland 27% of Catholics have thought about leaving the church, according to a survey by the Sotomo research centre.
This content was published on
Following the Credit Suisse debacle, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) is adapting its organisation.
This content was published on
The Swiss Armed Forces are training their fighter jets in Bern to fly from a civilian base. The exercise at Bern Airport will last until Wednesday.
Plans materialise for new particle accelerator in Geneva
This content was published on
Preparations for a huge new particle accelerator in Geneva have reached a milestone. After several years of work, a feasibility study for the project has now been finalised.
This content was published on
Kaiseraugst, in canton Aargau, is home to ruins of the Ancient Roman city of Augusta RauricaExternal link. The Romans are known to have used such holes to store fruit, vegetables, oysters, cheese and other products that go off. In winter, they would fill them with snow and ice and cover them with straw. This is…
This content was published on
The Swiss Guards, who have protected the Pope for 500 years, are about to receive new headgear: PVC plastic helmets made with a 3D printer.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.