When people admire the exquisite bronze wares, elegant porcelain and ancient wood carvings in museums, they may not think that there is an invisible "eye" that has long perceived the hidden secrets of these cultural relics. This pair of "eyes" is X-ray non-destructive testing technology. It is like a skilled internist, conducting a precise "physical examination" of the cultural relics without causing any damage to them, revealing the truth hidden behind the passage of time.

"Insight Through a Thousand Years"

For bronze wares with dense rust on the surface or thick patina, X-rays can easily penetrate, clearly revealing hidden cracks, damages and traces of restoration throughout the ages inside. More importantly, it can help appraisers identify counterfeiting methods such as "reselling POTS" - some counterfeiters would weld and piece together bronze fragments from different eras into a complete vessel. Under X-ray images, these non-original solders and repaired parts will reveal their true colors due to the different material densities.

The "navigation map" of the repair work

In the field of cultural relic restoration, X-ray technology is an indispensable and powerful assistant. A seemingly intact wooden Buddha statue may have been hollowed out by insects inside. Beneath an ancient painting that is covered layer upon layer, there might be the original draft hidden. Through X-ray scanning, restorers can precisely locate the vulnerable points and internal structure of cultural relics, thereby formulating the safest and most effective restoration plans. It ensures that the restoration behavior is "treating the symptoms" rather than "blind surgery", and protects the historical authenticity of cultural relics to the greatest extent.

Unveiling the "Time Machine" of History

X-ray technology can also help us obtain precious historical information. By analyzing the old nails bonded in a piece of porcelain (an ancient restoration technique), one can understand the ancient restoration techniques. By observing the metallographic structure inside a metal artifact, one can infer its casting process. These discoveries have transformed cultural relics from silent exhibits into historical witnesses capable of "speaking out".

From identifying authenticity to assisting in restoration and then to historical research, X-ray technology, with its unique penetrating power and imaging capabilities, has opened up a brand-new window for cultural relic protection work. It makes our conservation work more scientific and also makes the historical context clearer and more visible.