Investigation of Neolithic ceramic pigments using synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction

Abstract

Crystalline phases present in pigments scratched off the surfaces of some decorated ceramic sherds belonging to the Cucuteni Neolithic culture were successfully identified using synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction at Daresbury Laboratory. The ceramic sherds were selected from a collection of the National Museum of Romanian History in Bucharest. The synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the black-color pigments on the surface of a number of sherds were produced by a variety of jacobsite ͑Fe 2 MnO 4 ͒ phases; magnetite ͑Fe 3 O 4 ͒ was also found in one of the sherds. The red color was derived from clay slips with a high content of hematite ͑Fe 2 O 3 ͒. Calcite ͑CaCO 3 ͒ was found in the white pigments; its presence was explained as being related to postburial deposition processes. Conclusions on technological aspects, provenance, and conservation issues are given.

Thin coatings of ceramics: some new developments in France and in Europe

“…Contribution of physicists in this type of studyis significant, for example through the synchrotron measurements [10,47,50] or Raman spectroscopy [16,[64][65][66].…”

“…Coatings obtained from a clay material were also used on Neolithic ceramics and some of them were fired at temperatures high enough to lead to a partial vitrification of the clay matrix with a rather good control of the color (red, black or white). An example can be found in the case of the ceramics of Cucuteni-Tripolye culture for which an archaeometric study [50] revealed that the black color came from a variety of jacobsite Fe 2 MnO 4 indicating a high firing temperature (about 1000°C). Unlike Greek and Roman productions for which the black color was obtained using a reducing firing atmosphere (rich in carbon monoxide), this type of Cucuteni ceramics was fired under oxidizing conditions using kilns with separated combustion and firing chambers.…”

Investigation of Pottery from Different Neolithic Sites in Southeast Albania Using Various Analytical Techniques

“…It should also be mentioned that the composition of the pigments could be influenced by the process of their application on the ceramic body. Several researchers suggest that the decoration of the pottery surface was produced by using mineral pigments mixed with a clay-water suspension and applied as a clay slip [18] [19]. The black decoration of the shard from Maliq EN (Figure 9(D)) should probably have been prepared after the firing using bitumen as the black area is rich in sulphur with traces of vanadium, while manganese rich pigments (some kind of brown earth) are used for the brown colour decoration of the shards from Maliq LN and Vashtemi (Figure 9(E), Figure 9(F)).…”

“…compounds, such as magnetite and jacobsite, were identified in the respective white, red and black pigments used to decorate Cucuteni Neolithic ceramics [18] as well as the Neolithic ceramics from North Greece [19]. Red ochre and soot were identified in the red and black decorations of the Neolithic ceramics from Slavonia, Croatia [22], while iron minerals haematite and maghemite were identified in the red decorations of the Neolithic ceramics from southern Spain, the later being an indicator of the firing conditions [23].…”

Results from Multi Technique Investigation of Pottery from Different Early Neolithic Sites in Albania

“…Calcite, iron oxides and iron and manganese compounds (magnetite and jacobsite) were identified in the respective white, red and black pigments used to decorate Cucuteni Neolithic ceramics [20] as well as the Neolithic ceramics from North Greece [21]. Red ochre and soot were identified in the red and black decorations of the Neolithic ceramics from Slavonia, Croatia [22], while iron minerals haematite and maghemite were identified in the red decorations of the Neolithic ceramics from southern Spain, the later being an indicator of the firing conditions [23].…”