In this study, physical detection methods like pulsed photo-stimulated luminescence (PPSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) were investigated to indentify γ-ray irradiation treatment of some medicinal herbs. Dried herbal samples consisting of root, rhizome, cortex, fruit, seed, flower, spike, ramulus, folium and whole plant of nineteen different herbs were irradiated using a 60Co irradiator at 0–50kGy. Fifteen non-irradiated control samples had photon counts (PCs) less than the lower threshold value (700counts/60s). The photon counts of four non-irradiated samples (roots of osterici, angelica gigas, liriope, and whole plant of taraxaci herba) were between the lower and upper threshold values (700–5000counts/60s). However, PCs of all the irradiated samples were found to be higher than the upper threshold value (5000counts/60s), clearly screening them out from the non-irradiated ones. Even after 12weeks of storage PPSL signals of all irradiated samples were observed to be higher than the upper threshold value, making it possible to distinguish them from the non-irradiated control samples. The first TL glow curves (TL 1 ) for the non-irradiated samples were of very low intensity at about 250–300°C. Irradiated samples (5–50kGy) showed a higher peak at around 150–250°C. TL ratios [ratio of the integrated areas of the first (TL 1 ) and second (TL 2 ) glow], measured after re-irradiation for the TL 1 -tested samples at 1kGy, were found to be less than 0.1 for the non-irradiated samples and higher than 0.1 for the irradiated ones. TL ratios for all irradiated samples measured after 12weeks of storage under dark condition at (23±2°C) were apparent for distinguishing them from the non-irradiated controls.