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Non-destructive in situ analysis of polychromy on ancient Cypriot sculptures

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Abstract

The study focuses on the characterization of polychromy on limestone sculptures from Cyprus, attributed to the Cypro-Archaic—end of the Hellenistic periods. Polychromy components were identified by integrating digital microscopy, imaging under ultraviolet (UV) light, visible-induced luminescence (VIL), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and fibre optics reflectance spectroscopy (FORS). Data acquisition was performed directly in exhibition rooms at the Cyprus Museum (Nicosia) and the Paphos District Archaeological Museum (Paphos). Among the identified materials, there are iron-containing (red, yellow, green) and copper-containing (green and blue) pigments. The precision of pigment identification by non-destructive techniques is discussed, and specific pigment names are proposed: red iron oxide, yellow iron oxide-hydroxide, green earth and Egyptian blue. Interesting results were obtained by VIL, which allowed identifying traces of Egyptian blue otherwise undetectable with the naked eye. Complementary, this study discusses advantages and problems of combined and separate use of portable XRF and FORS, raising the question of their complementarity and interchangeability for the purposes of pigment identification.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the project ΝΕΑ ΥΠΟΔΟμΗ/ΣΤΡΑΤΗ/0308/30 co-financed by the European Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation. We acknowledge the support and permission for the study of the Cyprus Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, namely its director Dr. Marina Solomidou-Ieronymidou, the Ephor of Museums Dr. Despo Pilides and Dr. Evtychia Zachariou. We thank the Polish Archaeological Mission in Cyprus for allowing us to analyse sculpture FR2008/13. We would also like to express our appreciation to our colleagues Dr. Iosif Hafez and Dr. Nikolas Bakirtzis from The Cyprus Institute and Dr. Michel Menu and Ms. Anne Maigret from C2RMF, for their support in the analysis of the artefacts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Science and Technology for Archaeology Research Center (STARC), The Cyprus Institute, 20 Konstantinou Kavafi street, 2121 Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus

    Svetlana Gasanova, Maria Andrioti & Sorin Hermon

  2. The Center for the Research and Restoration of the Museums of France (C2RMF), Palais du Louvre, Porte des Lions, 14 Quai François Mitterrand, 75001, Paris, France

    Sandrine Pagès-Camagna

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  1. Svetlana Gasanova
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  2. Sandrine Pagès-Camagna
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  3. Maria Andrioti
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  4. Sorin Hermon
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Correspondence to Svetlana Gasanova.

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Gasanova, S., Pagès-Camagna, S., Andrioti, M. et al. Non-destructive in situ analysis of polychromy on ancient Cypriot sculptures. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 10, 83–95 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-016-0340-1

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