The laboratory of the Romano-Germanic Commission (RGK) is part of the Unit for Prospection and Excavation Methodology (RefPGM) and is located on the RGK premises in Arndtstr. in Frankfurt's Westend district. It mainly examines drill cores and sediment samples, but also archaeological objects.

The laboratory focuses in particular on the analysis of soil archives from drill cores and the examination of samples from excavations. The soil profiles from the drill cores are documented and sampled, a ball mill enables the preparation of uniform samples, which are analyzed for their chemical composition as powder samples in so-called sample cups or as pellets using stationary XRF (X-ray fluorescence analysis).

In addition, there are also opportunities for studies in the field of object archaeology, such as material analysis using a portable or stationary XRF, digital microscopy, SFM/3D visualization and ceramic imaging with the laser-aided profiler. Depending on the project and question, samples are also collected in the RGK laboratory for scientific investigations (e.g. for 14C dating), which are then analyzed by our external cooperation partners.

The laboratory is therefore an important part of the minimally invasive archaeology of the RefPGM. The possibilities in material analysis and object documentation are regularly used both within the framework of RGK research projects, e.g. on fire clay, and by our project partners.