CIRAM authenticates and dates your works in wood, ivory, or paper using cutting-edge scientific methods, adapted to each organic material.
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The scientific dating of a work of art begins with the identification of the materials that compose it.
At CIRAM, each organic material – wood, ivory, paper, textile – is subject to a specific protocol. Our scientists adapt their analysis method according to the nature and preservation state of the samples. Radiocarbon dating is particularly well-suited to organic materials, as it allows for precise estimation of an object's age.
Our laboratories take into account the specific constraints of art objects (fragility, material stratification, presence of restorations) to guarantee reliable results, without altering the integrity of the entrusted pieces. Each work of art is unique, and so is our approach.
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World leader in carbon-14 dating applied to art, CIRAM masters all stages of the laboratory process.
After chemical pre-treatments, scientists extract the organic carbon from the sample, then transform it into pure graphite. This is then analyzed by particle accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) to measure the isotopic ratios between carbon 14, carbon 13, and carbon 12. This measurement provides a raw radiocarbon age, expressed in years BP.
This method applies to all organic materials: wood, ivory, paper, bone, leather, or plant and animal fibers. CIRAM also applies strict quality control protocols, in compliance with international standards (ASTM D6866 and EN 16640), to guarantee the reliability and reproducibility of results.
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Carbon-14 dating provides a raw age expressed in years "Before Present" (BP), with 1954 as the reference point. However, this estimate is based on an assumption of carbon-14 stability in the atmosphere, which has been scientifically contradicted. Indeed, variations related to climate, the solar cycle, or human industrial activity alter these concentrations.
CIRAM therefore proceeds to an essential step: calibration.
Thanks to internationally recognized calibration curves, BP age is transformed into calibrated dates, with a high probability rate. This conversion allows the object to be anchored in a precise historical period (for example, 730 ± 20 years BP corresponds after calibration to the interval 1265 – 1297 AD – 95.4% probability).
Request a studyThe samples are never analyzed directly after collection. Before any analysis, they undergo rigorous chemical pre-treatments, notably the ABA protocol (Acid-Base-Acid), intended to eliminate all contaminating elements such as varnishes, glues, patinas, concretions, or other sources of external pollution.
The objective is to isolate the datable fraction of the material: cellulose for wood or paper, collagen for ivory and bone, or keratin for materials like horn.
Once this step is completed, researchers extract the carbon present in the material, which they then transform into graphite, a form of pure carbon essential for radiocarbon dating.
The measurement of the carbon-14 is performed on a graphite target by a particle accelerator coupled with a mass spectrometer (AMS). We are going to measure isotopic ratios 14C/12C and 13C/12C to obtain the value of pMC (percent Modern Carbon) and the raw age (dating before present).
This measurement is performed taking into account the isotopic fractionation.
For 30 samples analyzed, we measure 8 international standards (oxalic acid OxII, SRM 4990C, Kauri wood C9, and phthalic acid blank), in order to obtain better precision and real-time quality monitoring. Furthermore, our datings are carried out in compliance with international standards (ASTM D6866 and EN 16640).
Once the radiocarbon dating is performed, our engineers proceed to calibrate the raw age obtained. This crucial step allows the initial data to be transformed into calibrated dates, the only ones truly usable for situating an object in time.
CIRAM also takes into account certain specific markers, called modernity markers, to accurately assess the age or modernity of an object. For example, atmospheric nuclear tests conducted from the 1950s onwards enriched the environment with carbon 14. Thus, an organism that lived after 1954 will show an abnormally high carbon 14 content. This signal makes it possible to clearly distinguish an old work from a modern reproduction.
To provide precise and scientifically reliable dating for your art objects, CIRAM relies on its state-of-the-art laboratories specializing in carbon-14 analysis. Our teams of researchers and engineers combine several complementary methods to refine authentication: radiocarbon dating, of course, but also xylology, which identifies the type of wood and estimates its geographical origin.
We also use methods such as X-ray radiography or 3D scanning, useful for revealing internal structures, restorations, or hidden additions. By choosing to entrust your works of art to CIRAM laboratories, you benefit from recognized expertise to guarantee precise and reliable results.
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Contact our teamsWe use carbon-14 dating, a precise scientific method for determining the age of organic material by measuring the concentration of carbon-14 still present.
Yes, our engineers can spot the markers of modernity, such as an abnormally high carbon-14 content due to nuclear testing after 1950, which makes it possible to identify recent copies.
Absolutely. Our experts adapt the analysis methods to each material present in the work and can cross-reference the results to propose a reliable dating of the object as a whole.
Yes, we offer complementary analyses such as xylology (wood identification), radiography or 3D scanning to study the internal structure or detect possible restorations.
Simply contact us via our contact form or by telephone. After reviewing your request, we'll arrange an appointment with you at home or at the laboratory, so that we can show you the appropriate methodology and take the samples.
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