Elsevier

Journal of Cultural Heritage

Volume 13, Issue 2, April–June 2012, Pages 229-233
Journal of Cultural Heritage

Case study
Spectroscopic analyses of Hellenistic painted plasters from 2nd century B.C., Sicily (South Italy)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2011.09.006Get rights and content

Abstract

In the present work, an analytical characterization of painted plaster samples coming from ancient buildings dated back to 2nd cent. B.C., located in Licata (Sicily, Southern Italy), has been carried out. The investigation has been performed through different spectroscopic techniques: X-ray fluorescence (XRF) using an handheld energy-dispersive XRF analyzer, scanning electron microscopy equipped with an Energy Dispersive Spectrometry microanalysis detector (SEM-EDS) and Fourier transform infrared absorbance spectroscopy (FT-IR). The main goal is to identify the plaster and pigments material. In particular, the XRF investigation of surfaces is the first step for a preliminary elemental characterization. Then, through SEM-EDS measurements, a quantitative analysis of the chemical composition of the plaster and the pigmenting agents along with eventual components related to deterioration processes has been obtained. Finally, FT-IR absorbance spectra have proven to be a useful tool to investigate the molecular nature of the used materials.

Section snippets

Research aims

In a broadly vague and poorly defined scenario as is that of the origin and development of Hellenistic art in Sicily, whose findings are still unknown, and especially difficult to fit chronologically, an important contribution in defining the historic-social and economic production contexts and use of findings, can be represented by the integrated approach between Archaeology and Archaeometry of materials. In this scenario, the physico-chemical analysis applied on samples of painted plaster,

Sampling

We analysed samples of plasters (labelled as LIC#), coming from excavations at Licata (Sicily, Southern Italy). The findings, dated back to 2nd cent. B.C., belong to ancient buildings located in Via S. Maria and on Monte Sant’Angelo. The selected specimens are representative of the variety and differences of colour present in each site. The size of the fragments ranged from 4 to 20 cm2. Some examples are shown in Fig. 1.

XRF measurements

XRF measurements were carried out through an handheld XRF analyzer (Innov-X

Results and discussion

Firstly, we carried out an extensive preliminary surface investigation through XRF measurements. In principle, XRF results act as a valuable guideline for subsequent targeted sampling actions, thus minimizing the sampling damage. After that, we used SEM-EDS technique to obtain quantitative analysis on the chemical composition of pigments and preparation layers, including also the oxides of light elements (such as Na, Mg, Al, Si), not revealed by the used XRF apparatus. Finally, the analysis of

Conclusions

The combined employment of XRF, SEM-EDS and FT-IR techniques on plasters withdrawn from ancient buildings located in Sicily (Southern Italy) dated back to 2nd century B.C., enabled us to identify the pigments and determine the analytical composition of the preparation layers used by the craftsmen. In particular, we showed from the elemental investigation that the blue-coloured decorations contain copper as main element while red and yellow colours are rich in iron. From the whole set of

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