[en] When analyzing jewellery items the ideal method of analysis should be quantitive, accurate, topographical, non-destructive and suitable to give the chemical composition of parts of a piece of jewellery without sampling even at microscopic level. Particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and particle induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE, sometimes called PIGME) are two techniques which exhibit most of these qualities. The physical principles of elemental analysis of solids using prompt signals induced during the irradiation of the objects with projectiles heavier than electrons are described followed by a discussion of the application of these principles for topographical analyses of gold jewellery items. Special attention is focussed on the determination of the chemical composition of narrow regions situated at solders. For many years it has been assumed that in artifacts from antiquity in which parts were joined by soldering or brazing, such solders or brazers were cadmium-free. Recent analyses using PIXE or PIGE techniques have cast doubt upon this hypothesis. A new approach to ancient gold brazing with regard to the presence of cadmium is discussed