Invisible Culture: The Use of Soft X-ray Radiography in Perishable Research

Analysis of perishable artifacts has at times been hampered by our inability to “see inside” an item to examine internal construction and attribute characteristics. Early researchers sometimes resorted to dissection to determine construction sequences and to view interior elements, but this practice is destructive and currently avoided. In this article, I discuss the use of soft X-ray radiography (using medical X-ray units designed for mammography) to analyze perishable artifacts. Case studies from the North American Great Basin and Southwest demonstrate the utility of this technique as effective, nondestructive, and inexpensive.