A high resolution computer tomography system employing Digital Radiography ( DR ) and Cone-beam Tomography (CT) was used to construct three - dimensional (3D) models of a bronze incense burner in the museum collection, with the aim of understanding its technique of manufacture . Surface 3D information was collected after obtaining greyscale images and graphics and image processing. This data was then processed in a reverse engineering software system and used to construct a 3 D computer - aided design (CAD) model. Analysis of the model shows that the data points are scattered evenly and that there were no blind areas. It is also found that the burner has welding holes and sites of deformation. The constructed 3D CAD model of the burner has very good geometric similarity to the original object. This study shows that high resolution computed tomography has high spacial resolution and precision, and is a reliable method for obtaining 3D structural data on bronzes.