Many conservators have faced the issues of having to restore of piece of national Maltese art and in the process, ending up risking damage or never knowing the full and true history behind it.

However, thanks to X-ray technology this will no longer be a problem.

As a result of this impressive new technique, art conservators can preserve and study a piece of art without ever even touching it.

Art X-ray technology works very similarly to the technology you find in normal hospitals as like doctors, art experts scan the pieces of art to look inside paintings, artefacts and statues to reveal their secrets without causing damage.

Unfortunately, historical and important artefacts can quickly deteriorate due a factor of reasons and before restoration starts experts need to study the how and why.

This type of technology, provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency, helps them do just that as thanks to it experts can discover hidden faces, lost historical details, materials used by neolithic people and even if people have attempted to restore a piece before them.

“We see ourselves as cultural heritage investigators in a way. It’s like a forensic discipline trying to solve puzzles”, the representative of the Diagnostic Science Laboratories at Heritage Malta, Matthew Grima expressed.

“These are our silent patients. They have a story to narrate. So, through these investigations it will be possible for us conservators to understand and form the story and past of a particular artwork”, a conservator at Heritage Malta, David Bugeja added.

“We wouldn’t have the tourism product that we have if it were not for our extensive and multi-faceted cultural heritage. So we are really engaged and committed to this heritage”, the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of National Heritage, Joyce Dimech continued.

YouTube/IAEA Video