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Non-destructive identification of green and yellow pigments: the case of some Sicilian Renaissance glazed pottery

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Abstract

Selected decorated Renaissance ceramic fragments, found during the excavation of a Sicilian archaeological site (Caltagirone, Sicily, South Italy), have been studied by combining scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray absorbance spectroscopy (XAS). The study was aimed at providing microchemical and microstructural characterization of the colored glazed coatings in order to elucidate the nature of the pigments in the decorative layers, and in the glaze itself. From the obtained results, the general perspective has been the identification of information to be used for a reliable recognition of the production techniques.

In particular, XAS measurements, performed using synchrotron radiation (SR) as the source at the Cu K-edge, in the case of green decorations, provided structural information of the oxidation states and the local chemical environment of copper (neighboring atoms and bond distances).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Messina, Contrada Papardo, Salita Sperone 31, 98166, Messina, Italy

    V. Crupi, D. Majolino & V. Venuti

  2. Department of Geological Science, University of Catania, Corso Italia 55, 95129, Catania, Italy

    G. Barone, P. Mazzoleni & A. Pezzino

  3. Department of Earth Science, University of Calabria, Ponte P. Bucci Cubo 12b, 87036, Rende Cosenza, Italy

    M. F. La Russa & S. A. Ruffolo

  4. Department of IFM Chemistry, University of Turin, Via Pietro Giuria 7, 10125, Torin, Italy

    F. Bardelli

Authors
  1. V. Crupi
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  2. D. Majolino
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  3. V. Venuti
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  4. G. Barone
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  5. P. Mazzoleni
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  7. M. F. La Russa
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  8. S. A. Ruffolo
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  9. F. Bardelli
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Correspondence to M. F. La Russa.

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Crupi, V., Majolino, D., Venuti, V. et al. Non-destructive identification of green and yellow pigments: the case of some Sicilian Renaissance glazed pottery. Appl. Phys. A 100, 845–853 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-010-5660-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-010-5660-x

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