Physico-Chemical, Archaeological and Numismatic Analysis of Almoravid Gold Coins (XIth to XIIth Century)

Abstract

This study concerns a batch of 15 ancient Almoravid gold coins, the objects are analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS), the data collected is processed using statistical math tools. Indeed, the results obtained confirm the mastery of coinage, as stipulated in historical writings, and made it possible to distinguish and qualify the elements that may belong to the original alloy, namely: Ag, Au, Cu, Fe and Ni of those related to the patina such as: Si, O, Mn, Mg and N. These results are very useful, knowing that they can also serve any need for the conservation and restoration of archaeological objects and their enhancement since they can guide the choice of restoration techniques and conservation treatments for metallic heritage objects, while making it possible to inhibit or slow down the corrosion processes and to replace the common artisanal methods, practiced in certain places of conservation, which can sometimes be unsuitable for the elementary composition of the alloy constituting the object. For further analysis, this analysis technique deserves to be complemented by complementary analyzes that can achieve other scientific research objectives, namely; go back to the techniques of making coins, origin of metals, etc.