A non-destructive archaeometric study of Roman coins

Abstract An archaeometric study was carried out on thirteen of the thirty ancient Roman coins found in the “Grotta delle Ninfe” in Cerchiara di Calabria, Calabria, Italy. The coins are exhibited at the Brettii and Enotri Museum in Cosenza, Calabria. Due to their exposure to sulfur-rich water sources near the excavation site, these coins have deteriorated. The inscriptions are entirely unreadable due to a thick coating of corrosion products that have accumulated. This study aims to summarize the results obtained in previous works, including identifying the constituent elements, revealing hidden inscriptions that may help restore readability, and establishing the coin creation period and place.