Title: Experimental study of authenticity of a 15th century bell imported to Australia from Italy

Authors: Jaromir Audy, Katarina Audy

Addresses: Faculty of Regional Professional Studies, School of Enterprise and Technology, Edith Cowan University, South West Campus, Bunbury, 6230, Australia. ' Faculty of Regional Professional Studies, School of Enterprise and Technology, Edith Cowan University, South West Campus, Bunbury, 6230, Australia

Abstract: The present study was set up to analyse the authenticity of a |15th century| bell that was imported to Australia from a convent in Perugia, Italy. The experiments were focused on evaluation and characterisation of the bell from designing, forming and casting point of view. A principal intention of this study was to identify features that relate to the quality of this bell. The major focus was on such interrelated aspects as bell design and sound development, forming process and decoration/surface roughness and finally the alloy type – composition and constitution. The results obtained in this way were compared to information derived from experimental investigations conducted on bells from various parts of the world, especially Europe and Australasia, as well as from historical documentation. The results showed strong similarities between experimental and reported data. It confirmed that this unique bell was indeed cast in early middle ages.

Keywords: bells; 15th century; fifteenth century; authenticity; bell design; forming; casting; bell sound; microstructure; composition; Australia; Italy; bell decoration; surface roughness; Middle Ages.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2009.031402

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2009 Vol.4 No.4, pp.507 - 514

Published online: 02 Feb 2010 *

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