Unveiling Hidden Insights of Ancient Roman wall paintings in Cremona: In-Depth Knowledge Beyond the Surface with Spectroscopic Analysis

Francesca Volpi, Michela Albano, Giacomo Fiocco, Maduka Weththimuni, Marco Malagodi, Chiara Delledonne, Chaehoon Lee

Abstract

This research represents the first non-invasive analytical study on the wall paintings of the Domus del Ninfeo (1st century B.C.) excavated in Cremona. Scientific analysis played a crucial role in investigating the pigments and the painting technique that contributed to a deeper understanding of one of the provinces of ancient Rome in Northern Italy. To this aim we utilized portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) combined with FTIR spectroscopy in external reflection mode (ER-FTIR) for characterizing the wall decorations. The outcomes revealed that wall paintings were executed using the fresco technique, employing costly pigments such as Egyptian blue for blue and green shades, and cinnabar for vibrant red and pink hues. These expensive pigments were sometimes mixed with more common pigments like green earth and red ochre, while calcium carbonate was used for white tones and lighting effects. Overall, this research deepened our understanding of the artistic practices and connections between coeval societies of the Roman Empire.

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IMEKO-MetroArchaeo-2023-116.pdf

DOI

10.21014/tc4-ARC-2023.116

IMEKO TC

TC4 - Measurement of Electrical Quantities

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