Discusses the development at Davis of the first system in the world capable of non-destructive elemental analyses of small, precisely-defined areas on large objects of historical, artistic, anthropological or archaeological importance. Demonstrates the value of such analyses on parchment bibles of the 13th century, the first printed bibles of the 15th century, and works such as Diderot's Encyclopedie of the 18th century, showing excellent precision and sensitivity capable of unambiguously identifying provenance.