Ceramic vessel (Luzaga, Guadalajara)

Luzaga (Guadalajara). Pueblos celtibéricos (Sala 14, Vitrina 11)

When this vessel was found at the beginning of the 20th century, the Marquis of Cerralbo placed a string around it to extract and preserve it.

The use of this same technique by other archaeologists at the time is well documented, demonstrating that conservation was a primary concern for these pioneers.

Nowadays, physical surveys are essential for the knowledge, diagnosis and conservation of heritage. They can also shed light on how an object was made, as well as revealing decorative elements or alterations that are impossible to see at first glance.

In this case, radiography has allowed us to see the contents of the urn—bones and a handful of metal grave goods—without emptying or modifying the appearance of the vessel in any way.