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

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2012

Roxana Bugoi ,
Bogdan Constantinescu ,
Emmanuel Pantos  and
Dragomir Popovici
Roxana Bugoi
Affiliation:
“Horia Hulubei” National Institute of Nuclear Physics and Engineering, 077125 Bucharest, Romania
Bogdan Constantinescu
Affiliation:
“Horia Hulubei” National Institute of Nuclear Physics and Engineering, 077125 Bucharest, Romania
Emmanuel Pantos
Affiliation:
CCLRC, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington WA4 4AD, United Kingdom
Dragomir Popovici
Affiliation:
National Museum of Romanian History, Bucharest, Romania
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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 (Fe2MnO4) phases; magnetite (Fe3O4) was also found in one of the sherds. The red color was derived from clay slips with a high content of hematite (Fe2O3). Calcite (CaCO3) 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.

Keywords

SR-XRDNeolithic ceramic pigmentsarchaeologycrystalline phase identification
Type
TECHNICAL ARTICLES
Information
Powder Diffraction , Volume 23 , Issue 3 , September 2008 , pp. 195 - 199
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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