ARCHAEOMETRICAL ANALYSIS STUDY OF THE WALL PAINTING–FRESCO OF A ROMAN TOMB AT ABILA (QWAILBEH) JORDAN
The Authors:
M Nassar, Z Al Muheisen, R Seiseh, A Al-Shorman, M Abdelaziz, W Al Sekhaneh
This study examines the wall painting in the Roman tomb in the city of Abila (Qwailbeh). Archeometrical study to know the actual composition of the pigments used in the composition of the mural paintings is very important to archaeologists, especially with regard to restoration and preservation processes. This study aspires to provide a qualitative addition to this field by knowing the characteristics and components of these wall drawings in the city of Abila the techniques used in their implementation and identification of these dyes collecting information about them and determining the identification of pigments and binders for making these wall paintings. This research is also useful in presenting the factors affecting these drawings, which in turn threaten their survival in order to know the correct methods of preservation and protection of these drawings. The methodology used in the analysis of pigments included the use of three spectroscopy techniques, FTIR, XRD, and XRF on a complementary manner. These techniques for testing samples showed that the main element of all samples is calcium, and this indicates that lime was used as a binder and white dye at the same time, it was also noted that organic materials are varied as egg-white, wheat paste and beeswax were used as binders by fresco-secco technique as detected by FTIR. Pigments identified were red iron and yellow ochre (with a high content of hydrated iron oxides such as goethite and limonite) Egyptian blue, white lead, carbon black soot, and malachite.
For more information, you can access the full article through the following link:
click Here