Small samples from Sasanian silver objects were analyzed by thermal neutron activation analysis to determine the concentrations of three major elements, Ag, Cu, and Au, and 16 trace elements, Na, K, Sc, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Zn, As, Br, Sn, Sb, Se, Ir, and Hg. Two microsampling techniques (drilling and rubbing) were used for Ag, Cu, and Au. Analyses for major components in rubbing and drilling samples of the same objects showed the effects of surface enrichment for gold and surface depletion for copper. Drilling samples of ca. 500 mug were used to determine trace element concentrations. Multiplicate analyses were satisfactorily reproducible in the silver alloy for Ir, Zn, Se, As, and Sb, less satisfactory for Sn, Sc, Mn, and Br while large inhomogeneities were observed for Cr, Ni, Fe, Co, Hg, Na, and K. Objects were grouped according to trace element compositions in order to relate such groups to art historical information. So far gold and iridium concentrations seem to be the most promising criteria for distinguishing different origins of silver ore.