Iranian Iron Age Swords Under Scrutiny

Date: 04 January 2025 - 21:24

News ID: ۱۳۵۴۷۲

LONDON (Dispatches) -- A
recent study by scientists from Cranfield University uncovered modern modifications in a collection of Iron Age Iranian swords, raising concerns about the authenticity of similar artifacts in museums worldwide.
Using an imaging technique called neutron tomography, the researchers discovered that the seized swords had been tampered with, including the replacement of original iron blades with bronze ones.
The swords were confiscated by the United Kingdom’s Border Force at London’s Heathrow Airport, where they were believed to be legitimate and valuable artifacts.
After their seizure, the swords were sent to the British Museum for safekeeping and research. The British Museum conducted analysis using neutron tomography, which allowed scientists to examine the internal structures of the swords without causing further damage. This non-invasive method was effective at identifying organic matter, such as modern adhesives used in the modifications.
“Iran has been a hub of metallurgical innovation for millennia, but much remains poorly understood. Advanced imaging techniques are crucial in distinguishing ancient practices from modern forgeries,” said Dr. Nathaniel Erb-Satullo, a senior lecturer in Archaeological Science at Cranfield University and co-author of the study, according to Phys.org.
The research revealed modern glue, drill holes, and even a fragment of a modern drill bit embedded in one of the blades, evidencing the carelessness of the forgers.
The practice of creating pastiches—objects assembled from genuine but fragmented ancient artifacts—was evident in these swords.
Modern antiquities hucksters had altered the weapons to enhance their commercial value, a tactic that complicates efforts to trace the evolution of metalworking techniques and obscures findings about ancient metallurgical transitions.
“The results reveal extensive modern modification, namely the replacement of original blades—often made of iron—with different (but probably also ancient) bronze blades,” the researchers wrote in their report, as noted by Phys.org.
Many similar swords in museums worldwide may also be tainted by modern forgery.
According to New Scientist, the authenticity of many bronze weapons is now in doubt, making it essential for scientists to separate real artifacts from fakes.
This forgery complicates the study of ancient metalworking techniques, particularly the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age, a pivotal period approximately 3,000 years ago when iron became the dominant metal in the Middle East.
“Illicit modifications make the task of understanding this ancient transition much more complicated,” said lead researcher Alex Rodzinka, a PhD student at Cranfield University, as reported by The Independent.
Bi-metallic objects like these swords are crucial for tracing the transitions between metals, and modern tampering hides elements of this historical transformation.
The demand for Iranian Iron Age weapons began after a large cache of bronze and iron weapons was discovered in the western Iranian province of Luristan in the late 1920s. This discovery triggered a demand for such artifacts on the art market.
As Smithsonian Magazine reports, dealers and museums began searching for similar pieces, with major institutions adding Iron Age weapons from Iran to their collections, often assuming they were genuine.
However, many of these artifacts have never undergone scientific analyses, leaving their authenticity in question. The findings suggest that unless obtained during legitimate excavations, the authenticity of artifacts belonging to museums cannot be guaranteed. This poses a challenge for heritage professionals worldwide, emphasizing the need for imaging methods to detect such forgeries.