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The pigments and the plasters of the Roman frescoes discovered at the House of Diana (Cosa, Grosseto, Italy) were analysed using non-destructive and destructive mineralogical and chemical techniques. The characterization of both pigments and plasters was performed through optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electron microprobe analysis. The pigments were identified by Raman spectroscopy and submitted to stable isotope analysis. The results were integrated with the archaeological data in order to determine and reconstruct the provenance, trade patterns and the employment of the raw materials used for the elaboration of the frescoes.The Roman colony of Cosa (Grosseto, Italy) was founded in 273 BC, in order to control the newly acquired Etruscan territories of Vulci. Located over a headland (114 m above sea level) along the southern coast of Tuscany ( Fig. 1), the town was serviced by one of the main harbours facing the Thyrrenian sea, Portus Cosanus. From the first century BC to the first century AD, huge villas flourished in the countryside of the colony, causing the progressive disappearance of small properties. This process transferred a great part of the economic interests to the countryside and resulted in the decline of the town in the second century AD.The archaeological site has been the object of several archaeological investigations, mainly conducted by the American Academy in Rome (Brown et al. 1951Brown 1960Brown , 1980Bruno and Scott 1993). From 1990 to 1997, research concentrated on the 'atrium building V' discovered by F. E. Brown, which is now the focus of a systematic excavation and studies directed by E. Fentress.Situated along the southern side of the forum plaza, the 'atrium building V' was built during the first three decades of the second century BC, but for inexplicable reasons was temporarily abandoned after 71 BC. The causes of this event, which struck the entire colony during the final decades of the first century BC, have been researched by Brown et al. (1951), who attributes it to pirate raids, while Fentress (2003) has argued that another possible explanation could be the *

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A total of 22 samples were taken both from plasters still in situ and from collapsed material recovered by French, Italian and Moroccan teams at the Roman settlement of Thamusida (Rabat, Morocco). The sample characterization was obtained using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, image analysis and Raman micro-spectroscopy. Plaster aggregate was made using a mixture of sands and clays that outcrop nearby, while lime was probably produced using the local limestone crust, as was further verified for the mortars. The plasters from the bath complexes (public buildings) and the Temple à trois cellae (sacred building) were very poorly made, while those from areas VII and XX (private buildings) indicated the involvement of more expert masons. The pigments used were cinnabar, red ochre, yellow ochre, Egyptian blue, green earth, chalk white and carbon black. The overall manufacture was of low quality, and hence perfectly comparable to that observed in other Roman Provinces. With respect to Italy and to other Mediterranean Roman sites, Thamusida fits well within an aesthetic and technical koinè that differentiates sites of the Italian peninsula from those in the Provinces. the analytical methods. Archaeometric research on Moroccan pigments has not been performed so far, thus conferring originality and novelty to this study.The research seeks to determine: (1) the chemical and mineralogical composition of the plasters; (2) the reconstruction of the production technology (i.e., quantification and characterization of layers applied, presence/absence of additives, quality of the execution); (3) the pigment identification; and (4) the chemical and mineralogical composition of two beads of blue pigment found on the site. MATERIALSIn order to obtain a representative repertory in term of macroscopic characteristics, chronology and site distribution, the samples analysed here were selected from plasters still conserved in situ and from among fragmented materials recovered by French and Italian-Moroccan archaeological teams ( Fig.