Integrated analytical approach to unveil the secrets of the recently discovered “Sphinx Room”: a new piece of Domus Aurea puzzle
Abstract The recent discovery of the Sphinx Room, belonging to the Domus Aurea Esquiline wing, thanks to the framework given by the project “Non-destructive analytical studies at Parco Archeologico del Colosseo (Rome, Italy)”, allowed to perform an analytical campaign, both in situ and on micro-frag...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Heritage Science |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-020-00465-1 |
| _version_ | 1819298528180043776 |
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| author | Maria Cristina Caggiani Alessia Coccato Paolo Mazzoleni Alessandro D’Alessio Alfonsina Russo Germana Barone |
| author_facet | Maria Cristina Caggiani Alessia Coccato Paolo Mazzoleni Alessandro D’Alessio Alfonsina Russo Germana Barone |
| author_sort | Maria Cristina Caggiani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The recent discovery of the Sphinx Room, belonging to the Domus Aurea Esquiline wing, thanks to the framework given by the project “Non-destructive analytical studies at Parco Archeologico del Colosseo (Rome, Italy)”, allowed to perform an analytical campaign, both in situ and on micro-fragments. The first aim was to contribute to the overall comprehension of the Domus Aurea complex and to contextualize the newly-discovered room inside this extraordinary imperial architecture by means of an archaeometrical characterisation of the painting materials. The palette, composed of Egyptian blue, green earths, iron- and lead-based red, orange and yellow, calcite, carbon-based black, allowed to compare the Sphinx Room to Corridor 92 and Room 114 of Domus Aurea and to other sites in Rome. Furthermore, the employ of an organic binder in some spots can be put forward based on spectroscopic results, which does not exclude a wider use of the a fresco. Furthermore, a complementary methodological strategy was designed, in order to achieve a complete characterization of the materials. In addition to the well-known combination of portable X-ray fluorescence and portable/laboratory Raman analyses, Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy was used, both in situ (Diffuse Reflectance) and in the lab (Attenuated Total Reflectance). The results confirm the suitability of this approach for the characterization of Roman wall paintings, where both inorganic and organic materials are simultaneously present. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T05:31:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0ce90f231681492ea808bb247c0bc5e1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-7445 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T05:31:20Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heritage Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-0ce90f231681492ea808bb247c0bc5e12022-12-21T17:13:10ZengSpringerOpenHeritage Science2050-74452020-11-018112110.1186/s40494-020-00465-1Integrated analytical approach to unveil the secrets of the recently discovered “Sphinx Room”: a new piece of Domus Aurea puzzleMaria Cristina Caggiani0Alessia Coccato1Paolo Mazzoleni2Alessandro D’Alessio3Alfonsina Russo4Germana Barone5Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of CataniaDepartment of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of CataniaDepartment of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of CataniaParco Archeologico del ColosseoParco Archeologico del ColosseoDepartment of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of CataniaAbstract The recent discovery of the Sphinx Room, belonging to the Domus Aurea Esquiline wing, thanks to the framework given by the project “Non-destructive analytical studies at Parco Archeologico del Colosseo (Rome, Italy)”, allowed to perform an analytical campaign, both in situ and on micro-fragments. The first aim was to contribute to the overall comprehension of the Domus Aurea complex and to contextualize the newly-discovered room inside this extraordinary imperial architecture by means of an archaeometrical characterisation of the painting materials. The palette, composed of Egyptian blue, green earths, iron- and lead-based red, orange and yellow, calcite, carbon-based black, allowed to compare the Sphinx Room to Corridor 92 and Room 114 of Domus Aurea and to other sites in Rome. Furthermore, the employ of an organic binder in some spots can be put forward based on spectroscopic results, which does not exclude a wider use of the a fresco. Furthermore, a complementary methodological strategy was designed, in order to achieve a complete characterization of the materials. In addition to the well-known combination of portable X-ray fluorescence and portable/laboratory Raman analyses, Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy was used, both in situ (Diffuse Reflectance) and in the lab (Attenuated Total Reflectance). The results confirm the suitability of this approach for the characterization of Roman wall paintings, where both inorganic and organic materials are simultaneously present.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-020-00465-1Roman wall paintingsIn situ investigationMolecular spectroscopyX-ray fluorescencePigmentsDomus aurea |
| spellingShingle | Maria Cristina Caggiani Alessia Coccato Paolo Mazzoleni Alessandro D’Alessio Alfonsina Russo Germana Barone Integrated analytical approach to unveil the secrets of the recently discovered “Sphinx Room”: a new piece of Domus Aurea puzzle Heritage Science Roman wall paintings In situ investigation Molecular spectroscopy X-ray fluorescence Pigments Domus aurea |
| title | Integrated analytical approach to unveil the secrets of the recently discovered “Sphinx Room”: a new piece of Domus Aurea puzzle |
| title_full | Integrated analytical approach to unveil the secrets of the recently discovered “Sphinx Room”: a new piece of Domus Aurea puzzle |
| title_fullStr | Integrated analytical approach to unveil the secrets of the recently discovered “Sphinx Room”: a new piece of Domus Aurea puzzle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integrated analytical approach to unveil the secrets of the recently discovered “Sphinx Room”: a new piece of Domus Aurea puzzle |
| title_short | Integrated analytical approach to unveil the secrets of the recently discovered “Sphinx Room”: a new piece of Domus Aurea puzzle |
| title_sort | integrated analytical approach to unveil the secrets of the recently discovered sphinx room a new piece of domus aurea puzzle |
| topic | Roman wall paintings In situ investigation Molecular spectroscopy X-ray fluorescence Pigments Domus aurea |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-020-00465-1 |
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