Multi-slice Computed Tomography applied to Cultural Heritage: preliminary experience on an Egyptian polychrome wooden coffin

A modern approach to artistic diagnostic provides non-destructive techniques and, by now, are commonly used X-rays to study artefacts. Recently, Computed Tomography (CT), X-ray detection technique, widely used in medicine, was proved really useful. In this work a new generation of clinical Computed Tomography, based on the Dual Energy and multi-slice acquisition principle, is used to investigate an Egyptian mummy-board. The use of two distinct techniques of image post processing, such as the two-dimensional Multi-Planar Reconstruction (MPR) and the threedimensional Volume Rendering Technique (VRT), allowed us to evaluate the state of conservation, object implementation and to confirm Egyptologists hypothesis that the used wooden planks are of reuse.