The cremation urn is a tiny archaeological site of its own, with finds, features, stratification and structure. The old prescription was to take the pot apart, or slice it, and micro-excavate with inevitable damage and loss. Here is a new methodology – the application of a CT scan as used in medicine. The authors evaluate the results on 35 Etruscan cremations, finding that CT not only provides an excellent guide for micro-excavation, but allows the degree of fragmentation to be appreciated inside the pot and maps those metal objects that have corroded to a crust and do not survive excavation. They emphasise the value of the method in making a ‘first resort’ primary record especially in commercial archaeology.

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