Non-destructive diagnostics of the internal structure of archaeological objects from the collection of the central state museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan

This article discusses the use of modern non-destructive diagnostic methods — neutron radiography/tomography and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) — to study the internal structure of archaeological objects from the collection of the Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Based on the studies of ceramic and metal artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations and expeditions in the territory of Kazakhstan, the possibilities of diagnosing objects without damaging them are demonstrated. Particular attention is paid to identifying hidden inhomogeneities of the material and pores/cracks, determining the level of preservation and traces of manufacturing technology. The results of the analysis confirm the high efficiency of neutron tomography for studying and visualizing multicomponent materials, especially denser and metallic objects, and the XRF method for accurately determining the chemical composition without sampling. A conclusion is made about the importance of an integrated approach to the study of archaeological artifacts and the potential for introducing these technologies into regular museum practice.