Radiography imaging of cultural heritage obtained with a midified portable x-ray fluorescence system

The imaging quality of radiographies obtained with a modifi ed portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was evaluated for the study of cultural heritage. The proposed instrument uses an X-ray tube with (2 mm) Pd anode allowing a 50 kV maximum voltage and 1 mA current. The instrument also equipped with a collimation system, allows to irradiate a square-shaped region in the analyzed object by projecting asquare light beam on its surface. The spatial resolution of the obtained radiographic image makes possible to locate and define perfectly well underlying paintings(pentimenti), to identify filling materials in a painting undergoing a restoration process, as well as radiogrametry of archaeological bone and the identification of a petrified sphere from an archaeological discovery. The radiographic analysis is proposed for the study of physical anthropology in Cuba.