精測藝品 借重射線與中子 Rays and Neutrons, For the Sake of Art 蔡繼光譯 藝品鑑定之模糊與令人束手，素來有名，歐美頂尖博物館的館長迫切追求 精準，早就求助於核子科學儀器，向藝術寶藏發射肉眼看不見的射線，所得線 索協助解答了藝品的出處、年代及真偽的惱人問題。 VIENNA － Eager for precision in a field notorious for ambiguity and frustration, curators at top museums in Europe and the United States have long reached for the instruments of nuclear science to hit treasures of art with invisible rays. The resulting clues have helped answer vexing questions of provenance, age and authenticity. 以此法洞察藝品，如今風行全球。以打擊核武擴散聞名的聯合國國際原子 能總署正努力在開發中國家推廣這些方法，使秘魯、迦納、哈薩克等地的科學 家和文物保護人士更有能力維護他們的文化遺產。 Now such insights are going global. The International Atomic Energy Agency, a United Nations unit best known for fighting the spread of nuclear arms, is working hard to foster such methods in the developing world, letting scientists and conservators in places like Peru, Ghana and Kazakhstan act as better custodians of their cultural heritage. 原子能總署主管這項作業的馬提亞斯‧羅斯巴克說：「真令人振奮，我學 到很多。」 “It’s very exciting,” said Matthias Rossbach, an agency official who helps direct the endeavor. “I learn so much.” 這是原能署促進全球和平使用核子及相關科技方案的附屬計畫。原能署在 全球各地當警察，務期各國自制，不以欺瞞手段秘密發展核武，就某方面而言， 鑑定古物計畫有緩解其強悍形象的作用。 The agency runs the program as an adjunct to its global advancement of nuclear and related technologies for peaceful uses. In a way, it is one of the incentives meant to offset the intrusive policing that the agency does around the world to try to make sure nations refrain from secretive cheating in pursuit of nuclear arms. 今年九月底，原能署在維也納總部召開年會，羅斯巴克和他同事設了一個 攤位，大力宣傳這項計畫，也不厭其詳向該署140個會員國的代表與記者解釋鑑 定工具和用法。 Here at the agency’s headquarters, in late September at its annual conference, Dr. Rossbach and colleagues set up a booth to publicize the program and took time to explain analytic gear and its applications to a reporter and delegates from the agency’s 140 member states. 攤位上還展示數十本科學論文與文摘，闡述研究計畫如何運用核子技術解 答歷史與藝術之謎。 Exhibited were dozens of scientific papers and abstracts describing how research projects had used the nuclear methods to address historic and artistic riddles. 例如，中國大陸科學家以次原子粒子撞擊唐朝（西元618-906年）的瓷器。 分析結果有助揭開這些藝品源自地方作坊的來歷。 For instance, Chinese scientists had fired the subatomic particles known as neutrons at pottery from the Tang dynasty, which ruled China front A.D. 618 to 906. The analysis is helping them uncover the artworks’ origins in regional workshops. 北京中國科學院高能物理研究所馮松林教授接受訪問時說，原能署方案「對 中國考古研究和我本人都非常有幫助」。他說，方案幫他找到最好的分析方法， 準備樣本，以及學會如何詮釋所得結果。 In an interview, Feng Songlin, a scientist at the Institute of High Energy Physics in Beijing, said he found the agency’s program “very helpful for Chinese archaeology research and for me.” He said it had helped him ascertain the best analytical methods, prepare samples and learn how to interpret the findings. 墨西哥科學家也提出申請，用這種方法分析該國殖民時代的瓷器。結果， 有些原本以為是從西班牙進口的瓷器，卻是出自本地之手。 Mexican scientists have also applied such methods to colonial-era pottery. Pieces once thought to have been imported from Spain turned out to have been made locally. 羅斯巴克說，他自己負責合作的部分，就多達15個國家，參與的科學家約 60位，時間從2005年到2008年，耗資約23萬美元。他的正規工作和核武監察任 務無關，主要在協助產業善用原子科技。他告訴參觀攤位的代表：「我們的錢 不多。」但他強調，即使如此，他的藝術合作夥伴卻有了不起的成就。「看到 這些進展，令人精神大振。」 Dr. Rossbach said his own part of the collaboration extended to 15 countries, involved about 60 scientists and would run from 2005 to 2008 at a cost of about $230,000. His regular job involves no nuclear arms policing but rather helps industries use atomic technologies. “We don’t have a lot of money,” he said as delegates looked around the booth. Even so, he added, his art collaborators were accomplishing much. “It’s exciting to see the progress.” 這些進展的確搶眼，因為藝術圈自身技術有限，卻往往被要求必須具備驗 證藝品來歷的能力，尤其是年代極其久遠的物件。傳統的歷史比較法和圖像法 往往不足以形成定論，有時甚至還會唬人。 The advances are striking because the world of art, when limited to its own techniques, often finds itself hard pressed to achieve basic goals like verifying the origins of pieces, especially very old ones. The standard historical approach of comparing style and iconography has often proved inconclusive or at times even deceptive. 羅斯巴克說，這項方案令他精神振奮，因為在教導他人的過程中，他也從 形形色色的文物科學監護人那裡，學到關於全球藝術的豐富知識。 Dr. Rossbach said the program excited him because in the process of teaching he discovered so much about global art as well as its diverse ranks of scientific custodians. 他說：「我學到許多有關中國瓷器和波蘭聖像的知識。我了解他們所用的 技術，也能討論那些技術他們用得對不對。總之，我覺得這真是一種上乘的交 流。」 “I’ve learned about pottery, in China and icons in Poland,” he said. “I know the techniques they’re using and can discuss whether they’re doing it right. So that, I think, is a very good exchange.” By WILLIAM J. BROAD 關鍵字句 藝術是不朽的（timeless），其價值難以量化，不過，它的來歷 （provenance/origins）、年代（age）和真偽（authenticity）卻可以用講究 精確（eager for precision）的科技來測量。 A field notorious for ambiguity and frustration點出藝術圈企圖解決這個 鑑定難題，卻始終無法竟其功，原因在於本身力有未逮，必須求助科技。 Ambiguity本意為模稜兩可，在此指藝品出處、年代與真偽難定； frustration則指屢試難成的挫折。 至於歐美頂尖博物館館長（curators）所屬意的科技，為the instruments of nuclear science，即受國際原子能總署管制的核武工具：用肉眼看不到的放射 線撞擊要測量的寶物hit with invisible rays，例如中子（neutrons）。 這些都是原能署積極推動的核能和平用途（peaceful uses）。為了達成這個目 標，原能署必須以干預取締（intrusive policing）手法，敦促刻意欺瞞、秘 密發展核武（secretive cheating）的國家自制（refrain）。 Scientific papers and abstracts指科學論文及摘要，其研究主題都與如何利 用核子技術（nuclear methods） 解決文物年代及真偽謎題（historic and artistic riddles）有關。 文中所引中國科學家以中子撞擊唐代瓷器，屬於非破壞性方法 （nondestructive method），不但可以從其成分確定出自哪個著名窯廠 regional workshops，也可確定其年代，讓幾可亂真的贗品現形。由於中國古 瓷身價不凡，這項鑑定科技對古物的蒐藏家而言，也是非常重要的價值保證。 ...help him ascertain the best methods幫他找到最好的方法， ascertain使…成certain確實，有發現、通知或確認的意思，此處與discover 同義，暗示從自覺無知、不確定，不了解到領悟、洞悉的過程，如 He attempts to ascertain the population of the region。 Collaboration和cooperation都源自拉丁文「一起工作」，經常交替使用， 但cooperation指工作依階層分工，彼此獨立，不太需要協調； collaboration則是若干關係密切的階層單位或個體，必須同心協力，共同 解決問題。兩個字也經常並用，語意更強，如 collaboration and cooperation in the online classroom。 （蔡繼光） 【2006-11-06/聯合報/B6版/UNITED DAILY NEWS】 -- 趙客縵胡纓 吳鉤霜雪明 銀鞍照白馬 颯沓如流星 十步殺一人 千里不留行 事了拂衣去 深藏身與名 閒過信陵飲 脫劍膝前橫 將炙啖朱亥 持觴勸侯贏 三盃吐然諾 五嶽倒為輕 眼花耳熱後 意氣素霓生 救趙揮金槌 邯鄲先震驚 千秋二壯士 烜赫大梁城 縱使俠骨香 不慚世上英 誰能書閤下 白首太玄經 李白 俠客行 --

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