Multi-analytical and non-invasive characterization of the polychromy of wall paintings at the Domus of Octavius Quartio in Pompeii

Germinario, Chiara; Izzo, Francesco; Mercurio, Mariano; Langella, Alessio; Sali, Diego; Kakoulli, Ioanna; Bonis, Alberto De; Grifa, Celestino

doi:10.1140/epjp/i2018-12224-6

Cited by 50 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…2960, 2930 and 2850 cm -1 (C-H stretching vibrations) were observed (Fig 3), suggesting the presence, along with the acrylic resin, of another organic compound, whose C-H bands were affected by derivative-like features attributable to its strong absorption coefficient. Comparisons with available literature [25,26] suggested that such features are consistent with the presence of wax.…”

Section: Pictorial Layersupporting

confidence: 56%

“…Moreover, micro-stratigraphic evidences showing the absorption of pigment in the pictorial layer (see the paragraph Textural, mineralogical and compositional features of mortars) and the presence of calcite as the sole binder detected in the paint layers of slabs suggest the execution of decoration by using the fresco technique executed by mixing pigments with slaked lime and water and applying on a thin layer of lime-based plaster while this was still moist. [26,36].…”

Section: Pictorial Layermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…sinopia) but such pigment was also obtained by grinding, sieving and burning a natural red earth containing iron oxides/ hydroxides and other silicates for achieving the intense red colour [46]. In the past such red earths were generally imported [32] but it should be noted that possible exploitation sources also outcropped near Paestum in the Apennine sequences of the Salerno province [26]; thus, their exploitation in the past for the production of this red pigment cannot be excluded.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

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The Tomb of the Diver and the frescoed tombs in Paestum (southern Italy): New insights from a comparative archaeometric study

Alberghina¹,

Germinario

Bartolozzi

et al. 2020

PLoS ONE

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The Tomb of the Diver has been subject for many decades of fierce debate among archaeologists and classicists. Since its discovery in 1968, some scholars have considered it a unique example of the lost tradition of Greek painting, others have emphasized Etruscan or Italic parallels. More recently, a possible local production has been suggested. With the aim of trying to solve the archaeological question, an archaeometric comparison among this well-known artwork and several frescoed tombs coming from Hellenistic and Lucan necropolis was carried out. The multi-analytical study was focused on the identification of peculiar features of executive techniques and raw materials since the first period of the archaeological site. The analytical investigation has been preliminary based on a non-destructive approach, performed in-situ by portable equipment including imaging diagnostics and compositional spectroscopic techniques for identifying pigments and the conservation state of original painted surface; subsequently, a further deepening by using destructive techniques was performed in-lab for the mortar-based supports characterization. Archaeometric study suggested that technological choices slightly changed in a time span of about two centuries, highlighting important markers that allow clustering the contemporary artistic productions.

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Section: Pictorial Layersupporting

confidence: 56%

Section: Pictorial Layermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

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The Tomb of the Diver and the frescoed tombs in Paestum (southern Italy): New insights from a comparative archaeometric study

Alberghina¹,

Germinario

Bartolozzi

et al. 2020

PLoS ONE

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“…In this sense, limestone for the white tesserae and tephritic lava for the black tesserae were identified [11]. On the other hand, other research works [24][25][26] used portable non-invasive techniques in order to characterize in situ the materials used in the decoration objects. Concretely in these latter works [24][25][26] some tesserae from a mosaic located in the Domus of Octavius Quartio (Pompeii) were analyzed with portable instrumentation obtaining interesting results.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pompeian mosaics have not been deeply analyzed from a chemical point of view in the literature. In fact, there is only few works [12,25,26] in which the chemical composition of some tesserae from Pompeian mosaics had been analyzed. Therefore, the available information about the materials used to manufacture the tesserae that were used to create the final Pompeian mosaics is few.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In situ non-invasive multianalytical methodology to characterize mosaic tesserae from the House of Gilded Cupids, Pompeii

et al. 2019

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Mosaics, one of the most important decorative artworks in the Roman culture, were usually elaborated with a set of tesserae joined with lime or others binders to form geometric or figurative decorations. The identification of both substrate and colored compounds of the tesserae is a challenge for chemists and archaeologists. In this work, two mosaics present in the House of Gilded Cupids from the Archaeological Park of Pompeii were analyzed in situ by non destructive techniques. Raman and Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform (DRIFT) spectroscopies were used for the molecular and mineralogical characterization, and hand-held energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (HH-EDXRF) spectrometry and Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for the elemental analysis. LIBS in-depth analysis was performed to obtain insights about the thickness of the pictorial layer determining that the thickness of red and orange pictorial layers was higher than 140 μm. The results showed that white tesserae were mainly composed by calcite, while local black colored volcanic rocks were used to manufacture black tesserae. Red and orange tesserae were composed by a calcite-based matrix with a hematite pictorial layer applied over it. Orange color was obtained by diluting hematite in the calcite matrix. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the XRF data was performed to observe differences and/or similarities between the analyzed mosaics; the samples projection of the PCA showed clear groupings.

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Production technology of late Roman decorated tableware from the Vesuvius environs: Evidence from Pollena Trocchia (Campania region, Italy)

et al. 2020

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The northern slope of Mt. Vesuvius contains some interesting archaeological sites, including the site discovered in the town of Pollena Trocchia, where the remains, dated to between the 79 and 472 CE eruptions, document the transition from the Roman to late Roman cultural and socioeconomic settings. Profound changes occurred in this time interval, which can be inferred from changes in the ceramic manufacturing processes. Common wares, as the most widespread ceramic class in the archaeological record, are a useful example that illustrates this technological transformation. Seventeen samples of tableware, distinguished into three ceramic classes according to the method of slip application (i.e., Slipped Ware, Painted Ware “a straccio,” and Painted Ware), were analyzed. The results highlight the use of high‐CaO clayey raw materials compositionally similar to Apennine clayey deposits. The clay bodies were occasionally tempered with sandy‐silt materials composed of volcanic grains with lesser amounts of siliciclastic fragments. Firing temperatures ranged from 800 to 950°C, as suggested by quantitative X‐ray powder diffraction and microstructural analyses combined with colorimetric measurements of the ceramic bodies. Micro‐Raman analyses performed on slips revealed the use of ochre for decorating the vessels; it was applied in a different way, representing an actual technological change.

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Multi-analytical and non-invasive characterization of the polychromy of wall paintings at the Domus of Octavius Quartio in Pompeii

Cited by 50 publications

References 55 publications

The Tomb of the Diver and the frescoed tombs in Paestum (southern Italy): New insights from a comparative archaeometric study

The Tomb of the Diver and the frescoed tombs in Paestum (southern Italy): New insights from a comparative archaeometric study

In situ non-invasive multianalytical methodology to characterize mosaic tesserae from the House of Gilded Cupids, Pompeii

Production technology of late Roman decorated tableware from the Vesuvius environs: Evidence from Pollena Trocchia (Campania region, Italy)

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