In this study, material characteristics of historic oil paintings in a 19th century church in Ayvalık/Turkey were investigated to propose the treatments to be used in their conservation and protection. For this purpose, physical, chemical and mineralogical compositions and the microstructure of the paintings were determined by X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscope, Thermo Gravimetric Analyzer, Differential Scanning Calorimeter, Infrared Spectroscopy and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy. Analysis results showed that the paintings were composed of very thin binding and white priming layers on which the pigments were applied. Binding layers were composed of polymerized vegetable oil with Zinc Oxide. Priming layers were composed of anglesite mineral in polymerized vegetable oil.Pigments used in paintings were mainly green earth, red chrome and iron oxide.

In this study lime binder used in stone and brick masonry mortars of some historic Ottoman baths was examined to understand whether the binders were hydraulic or not. For this purpose the mineralogical and elemental compositions and the microstructure of lime binder were determined by XRD, SEM-EDS and TGA analyses. The results indicate that the lime used in the brick dome mortars of Ottoman baths was hydraulic. Taking into account the kiln and fuel conditions of the 15th century, the possibility of obtaining hydraulic lime at relatively low temperature was examined. For this purpose limestone containing diatoms was heated at a relatively low temperature (850°C), then slaked and carbonated. After heating and slaking, calcium silicate giving hydraulicity to the lime was indicated by XRD and SEM-EDS analyses. These results show that the production of hydraulic lime at a relatively low calcination temperature (850°C) was possible with 15th century kilns.

In this study, material characteristics of wall paintings executed in 11th Century Byzantine Church located in archaeological site of Anaia (Turkey) were investigated to provide historical information of the painting techniques. For this purpose, physical, chemical and mineralogical compositions of the paintings were determined by X-Ray Diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive spectroscopy and Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis. Analysis results indicated that the paintings were executed using lime-secco technique. In this technique, pigments were mixed with lime and applied on a smooth plaster layer. Pigments used were mainly iron oxides for red, yellow and purple paintings, aluminosilicates such as celadonite for green paintings and lazurite for dark blue paintings.

 19 th century oil based wall paintings  Materials of historic wall paints  Pigment characterization Figure A. Stratigraphy of ceiling and wall paintings and mineralogical composition of pigments Purpose: The aim of this study was the determination of execution technique and materials characteristics of wall paintings of an almost disappearing cultural asset by documenting the authentic execution technique and material characteristics of the ornaments and provide data for the restoration work of the building. Theory and Methods:Analyses of the study were conducted on the samples that were taken from the building before the devastating fire. Microstructural characteristics, mineralogical and chemical compositions of plasters, priming layer, binding material and paints that were used in wall paintings have been determined by using optical microscopy, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM equipped with EDS). Results:Yahya Hayati Paşa Mansion in Bayraklı, which was built by Architect Andon Gavano in 1873, is one of the outstanding examples of 19 th century İzmir mansions. The building was heavily damaged due to devastating fire in 2010 and floors, ceilings and the roof of the building were completely destroyed. The study revealed that the paintings of Yahya Hayati Paşa Mansion were executed on lime plasters by using oil painting technique. Four preparatory layers on wall paintings and a single priming layer on ceiling paintings were determined by SEM and optical microscopy analyses. Organic binder, chalk, gypsum, zinc oxide, lead white and barium white were the ingredients determined in preparatory layers. Pigments of the paintings, in which brown, green, red and blue colors were dominantly used, were determined by SEM, XRD and FTIR analyses. Pigments used in paintings were determined as vermillion (HgS) for red, ultramarine (Na6-10Al6Si6O24S2-4) for blue, emerald green (3Cu(AsO2)2.Cu(CH3COO)2) for green and red ochre (Fe2O3+Clay minerals) for reddish brown. Beside these main pigments the use of barium white (BaSO4) as an extender in green paints and anglesite (PbSO4) as an alteration product of red lead (Pb3O4) in red paints were determined. Conclusion:The study documents the characteristics of painted decorations of a late Ottoman mansion by determining the stratigraphy, painting technique and pigments that make up the color palette and reveals the similarities with contemporaries in Europe.

In this study, the execution technique and material characteristics of the plaster layers of Byzantine wall paintings from three archaeological sites (Anaia, Olympos and Aigai) from western Anatolia were examined for the purpose of their conservation. Throughout the study, mineralogical and chemical composition of the plaster layers were determined with a scanning electron microscope coupled with an X-ray energy dispersive system (SEM-EDS) and X-ray diffraction analyses (XRD). Reflected light microscopy (RLM) and SEM studies conducted on polished cross-sections of samples revealed the stratigraphy and microstructural properties of the plaster layers of the Anaia Church (4th–12th centuries), Başpınar Church (13th century) in Olympos and a Byzantine settling and the Chapel (13th century) in Aigai. Throughout the research, pure lime and aggregates in the plasters of Aigai, as well as magnesium-rich lime and straw in the plasters of Anaia and Başpınar were determined. The plasters from the Anaia and Başpınar Churches exhibit characteristics similar to the samples from the post-iconoclastic period due to a similar raw-material use. In the samples from Aigai, plastering techniques such as marmorino, intonachino and cocciopesto, indicating earlier periods, were observed. As a result of this study, it was concluded that the number and characteristics of the plaster layers from the paintings had been applied intentionally in accordance with the technique of the painting. Plaster characteristics of the wall paintings in western Anatolia from the Byzantine period were found to be similar to the ones in İstanbul, the Balkans, Crete and Cyprus. The results of this study will guide the conservation efforts of the wall paintings.