Sulfur isotope analysis of cinnabar from Roman wall paintings by elemental analysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry – tracking the origin of archaeological red pigments and their authenticity

Spangenberg, Jorge E.; Lavrič, Jošt V.; Meisser, Nicolas; Serneels, Vincent

doi:10.1002/rcm.4705

Cited by 34 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…[18] Cinnabar is a brilliant scarlet mercury (II) sulfide (HgS) employed since antiquity in very important paintings and art objects. [26] Although these compounds have been extensively used as blue and red pigments, respectively, their occurrence on potteries is reported only in few cases. Kakoulli [27] reports Egyptian blue on terracotta vessels at Delos; Bordignon et al [28] refer the presence of the blue pigment on Etruscan architectural terracottas; Lapatin [29] indicates the occurrence of the pigment in the vessels of Kerch; finally, the use of Egyptian blue is testified in Apulia productions and in artifacts possibly imported to Apulia from Asia Minor.…”

Section: Archeological and Historical Interpretation Of The Occurrementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, once more, the use of this peculiar red pigment, mixed with red ochre to obtain darker red, underlines the preciosity and the innovation of this vessel production, as well as the possible links with Central Italian regions, where cinnabar was available and exploited at the end of the fourth century BC by Etruscan from Monte Amiata in Grosseto (Italy). [26] Actually, we noticed that cinnabar was employed in the red decorative layers of the sarcophagus of the Amazons, [33] in wall paintings of tombs in Paestum (as in the Tomb of the Diver; fifth-last 25th of the fourth century BC), [34] in Ruvo (tomb of dancers; end of the fifth-half of the fourth century BC), Arpi (tomb of the throne; end of the fourth century BC), [35] and in Taranto (via Umbria 162; the last 30 years of the fourth BC). [36] In this sense, we can speculate that the Lipari Painter could have conveyed of this lively artistic experience, bringing the employment of the pigment over the traditional use.…”

Section: Archeological and Historical Interpretation Of The Occurrementioning

confidence: 99%

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Pigments characterization of polychrome vases production at Lipára: New insights by noninvasive spectroscopic methods

et al. 2017

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One of the most impressive Sicilian pottery production is attributed to the socalled Lipari Painter and his followers, whose vessels-found in the archeological site of Lipari (Aeolian Island, Sicily)-are decorated with characteristic blue, red, and white figures. From the archeological point of view, these artworks keep open many questions concerning dating, production technique, and cultural background. In this context, new data on the manufacture procedures and on the raw materials used for the pigments may contribute to a deeper comprehension of this early Hellenistic vase tradition. The preciousness of the vessels, exhibited at the Archeological Museum of Lipari, imposed the use of in situ nondestructive methods to address new insights on the nature of the colored layers. Thus, analyses by Raman and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy have been performed with portable instruments on a selection of vessels certainly attributed to Lipari Painter and to some others of his followers. The results of this study testify the use of different pigments: kaolin and gypsum, probably supplied locally, for white layers; Egyptian blue for blue hues; red ochre for brown-reddish hues; and cinnabar for pink and red-purple nuances. The identification of both Egyptian blue and cinnabar opens an interesting discussion about dating and circulation of the raw materials.

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Section: Archeological and Historical Interpretation Of The Occurrementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Archeological and Historical Interpretation Of The Occurrementioning

confidence: 99%

Pigments characterization of polychrome vases production at Lipára: New insights by noninvasive spectroscopic methods

et al. 2017

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“…Mercury (with seven stable isotopes) is also likely to be difficult to use for isotope measurements because of minor fractionation in nature, but it may have a potential as a tracer of organic matter [17]. Analyses of cinnabar pigments (HgS) have actually been undertaken [122], but in this study the provenance was based on the pigments' sulfur isotopes, and fortunately the number of cinnabar sources in Europe is limited. However, this necessitates that the pigment certainly is the mineral minimum, and not a synthetic product (called vermilion) made from mercury and sulfur.…”

Section: Provenancing With Less Common Stable Isotope Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isotopes in cultural heritage: present and future possibilities

Nord¹,

Billström²

2018

Herit Sci

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This paper is focused on methodology and scientific interpretations by use of isotopes in heritage science-what can be done today, and what may be accomplished in the near future? Generally, isotopic compositions could be used to set time constraints on processes and manufacturing of objects (e.g. the 14 C technique). Furthermore, isotopic compositions (e.g. Sr and Pb isotopes) are useful for tracing the origin of a component or a metal. The concepts isotope and isotopic fractionation are explained, and the use of stable respectively radioactive isotopes is exemplified. Elements which today have a large potential in heritage research are reviewed, and some recent and less known applications from the literature are summarized. Useful types of mass spectrometers are briefly described, and the need for reliable standards as well as accurate measurements and corrections is stressed. In future, further chemical elements may be utilized for isotope studies in heritage science, and possible candidates are discussed. The paper may in particular be valuable to readers less acquainted with the use of isotopic measurements. The many examples from referenced papers and also results from the authors' studies in this field may inspire imaginative and inquisitive scientists to try new applications utilizing isotope data in heritage science.

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“…Whenever some mines are discriminated, this result is reached with time-consuming and expensive techniques. Sulphur and lead isotopes data are available [14,15] and have been compared in archaeometric researches to establish the provenance of cinnabar fragments from wall paintings [16] or Prehistoric artefacts. [4] The first work dates back to 2003, when Damiani et al [17] compared sulphur isotopes data from wall painting decorations (House of Diana, ancient Cosa, Grosseto, Italy) to those of the main European mercury deposits: Almadén, Idrija, Mount Amiata, Génépy, and Moschellandsberg.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

μ‐Raman as a fundamental tool in the origin of natural or synthetic cinnabar: Preliminary data

Botticelli

Maras

Candeias

2019

J Raman Spectroscopy

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This paper is a preliminary study on the origin of the precious red pigment cinnabar by μ‐Raman analysis. The importance of this pigment is partly due to its low availability. When the mineral was used in the Roman Age, the district of Almadén, Spain, was probably the most exploited region. However, it is still not well defined if further ores were chosen for supply. A scientific methodology has to be assessed. In the present study, samples with known provenance (Spain, Slovenia, Italy, Russia, China, and minor European deposits) were collected from Italian Mineralogical and Earth Science Museums. μ‐Raman analysis was chosen to acquire structural data, which were finally treated by statistical analysis. Most of the samples from China were characterized by the presence of selenium. This was proved by the additional band at ~200 cm−1. The statistical analysis of Raman data suggests that the position of the most intense band at ~252 cm−1 also influences the discrimination of the Chinese samples. This work also demonstrates that a higher purity may be revealed by μ‐Raman analysis, eventually leading to the discrimination of natural sources from synthetic cinnabar. It also proves that the most common exploitation sites, Almadén and Idrija, may be statistically distinguished. Despite its exploratory nature, this study is intended as a successful preliminary step to gain information of provenance from a single, potentially non‐destructive technique, such as μ‐Raman spectroscopy.

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Sulfur isotope analysis of cinnabar from Roman wall paintings by elemental analysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry – tracking the origin of archaeological red pigments and their authenticity

Cited by 34 publications

References 33 publications

Pigments characterization of polychrome vases production at Lipára: New insights by noninvasive spectroscopic methods

Pigments characterization of polychrome vases production at Lipára: New insights by noninvasive spectroscopic methods

Isotopes in cultural heritage: present and future possibilities

μ‐Raman as a fundamental tool in the origin of natural or synthetic cinnabar: Preliminary data

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