Damage Assessment of Ancient Silver Dishes and Plates

Abstract

This archaeometallurgical study employs macrophotography to noninvasively assess damage to late Roman and early Byzantine silver ceremonial dishes and plates, with a focus on the Caelian Hill missorium. The authors attribute the prevalence of annular cracking primarily to stress corrosion cracking, driven by residual tensile stresses introduced by ancient chasing tools during decorative work and compounded by the absence of stress-relief annealing techniques then unknown to ancient silversmiths. Detailed photographic analysis reveals both deliberate pre-burial damage (folding and breakage) and subsequent burial-related fracture propagation, alongside evidence of skillful ancient repairs using silver-painted filler materials.