Duncan Hook
Museum scientist
Scientific analysis of museum
artefacts
Department: Conservation and Scientific
Research
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7323 8117
Email: science @ thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Duncan obtained a first degree in chemistry
after which he spent a year carrying out compositional research on
medieval copper alloy artefacts. He now specialises in the
analysis of a variety of inorganic materials, especially metals
(gold, silver and copper alloys), and ceramics and rocks.
He is responsible for several pieces of
analytical equipment housed in the department, such as X-ray
fluorescence, inductively coupled plasma – atomic emission
spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
His current interests include most aspects of
metallurgy, virtually from the earliest times until the present
day, and has spent many years analysing material especially from
the European Bronze Age, the Classical World and the Medieval and
Post-Medieval periods. He has studied a wide range of
artefacts including tools and weapons, coins and medals, and
jewellery and Treasure.
Duncan also has an interest in the scientific
examination of fakes and forgeries, and all aspects of
outreach.
Current British Museum projects
Previous British Museum projects
Composition and technology of Italian Bronze
Age/Early Iron Age copper alloy artefacts.
Analysis of Roman surgical instruments.
Late Bonze Age metalwork from Runnymede
Bridge.
External fellowships/ honorary positions/ membership of professional bodies
Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Member of the Historical Metallurgy Society (HMS)
Publications
D. R. Hook, P. Craddock, S. La Niece (eds) Metals and
Mines. (London, Archetype Press, 2007)
D. R. Hook, ‘Inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission
spectrometry and its role in numismatic studies’, in W.A. Oddy
& M. R. Cowell (eds.), Metallurgy in
Numismatics, 4, (Royal Numismatic Society, London, 1998),
pp. 237-252
D. R. Hook, ‘Provenancing Rhenish stoneware
using neutron activation analysis’, in D. R. M. Gaimster (ed.)
German stoneware 1200 – 1900 (BMP, London,
1997),pp. 344-353
D. R. Hook, ‘The scientific analysis of the
copper-alloy lamps: aspects of classical alloying
practices’,with P.T. Craddock in D.M. Bailey, A Catalogue
of the Lamps in the British Museum. IV
Lamps of Metal and Stone, and Lampstands (British Museum
Press, London, 1996), pp. 144-164
D. R. Hook, Trade and Discovery: The
Scientific Study of Artefacts from Post-Medieval Europe and
Beyond, with D. R. M. Gaimster (eds.),
Occasional Paper 109, (British Museum Press, London,
1995).
D. R. Hook, ‘The early production of
copper-alloys in south-east Spain’, with I.C. Freestone, N. D.,
Meeks, P. T., Craddock, and A. Moreno Onorato, in E. Pernicka and
G. A. Wagner (eds.), Archaeometry '90 (Birkhauser Verlag,
Basel, 1991), pp. 65-76