Metallography: Technique of metallurgical investigation or the science of describing metals?

The question of the purpose and scope of metallography is discussed from a personal point of view. The meaning of the term, the scope of the various m ethods of microscopic investigation together with a number aspects importan t to the future of metallography are considered. New fields of activity, e. g. virtual and dynamic metallography are also described, together with othe r interesting aspects as aesthetic, criminal forensic and theoretical metal lography.