The Preparatory Layers in the Etruscan Paintings of the Tomba dei Demoni Alati in the Sovana Necropolis (Southern Tuscany, Italy)
The Tomba dei Demoni Alati is located in the Etruscan necropolis of Sovana (Grosseto, Southern Tuscany, Italy). At the end of the 1990s, excavation revealed remains of this aedicule tomb, carved into red tuff; in 2004, further excavation highlighted new important figurative elements. The Etruscans u...
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| author | Elena Pecchioni Pasquino Pallecchi Gianna Giachi Sara Calandra Alba P. Santo |
| author_facet | Elena Pecchioni Pasquino Pallecchi Gianna Giachi Sara Calandra Alba P. Santo |
| author_sort | Elena Pecchioni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Tomba dei Demoni Alati is located in the Etruscan necropolis of Sovana (Grosseto, Southern Tuscany, Italy). At the end of the 1990s, excavation revealed remains of this aedicule tomb, carved into red tuff; in 2004, further excavation highlighted new important figurative elements. The Etruscans used different methods to decorate the rock surfaces of the tomb, which were particularly difficult to paint. For this reason, the porous and irregular surface of the tuff was modelled and coated with specific materials. The aim of this work was to study the materials and manufacturing techniques of the preparatory layers applied onto the rock surface in the Tomba dei Demoni Alati. Minero-petrographic, chemical, and micro-chemical characterization of the layers was carried out. The obtained results suggest that different methods were used to prepare the tomb surfaces to be painted. In particular, in the niche of the tomb, two preparatory layers were found: a Ca-based plaster covers the rock; above it, a thin white Ca lime layer was applied. In the sculptures inside the niche, the colors were applied onto two finishing white Ca lime layers of similar composition, whereas, in the decorations of the sculptured surfaces on the outside, paint layers were laid onto a thin white silica stratum. The data allow us to determine the use of plaster, for the first time, in Tuscany, as well as the discovery of a preparation layer never before found in any other local archaeological context. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:06:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-afcfc78f5a5041fb8aa7006a102598fd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:06:56Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-afcfc78f5a5041fb8aa7006a102598fd2023-11-30T22:57:10ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-03-01127354210.3390/app12073542The Preparatory Layers in the Etruscan Paintings of the Tomba dei Demoni Alati in the Sovana Necropolis (Southern Tuscany, Italy)Elena Pecchioni0Pasquino Pallecchi1Gianna Giachi2Sara Calandra3Alba P. Santo4Department of Earth Science, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, ItalySuperintendence Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Metropolitan City of Florence and the Provinces of Pistoia and Prato, 50125 Florence, ItalySuperintendence Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the Metropolitan City of Florence and the Provinces of Pistoia and Prato, 50125 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Earth Science, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Earth Science, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, ItalyThe Tomba dei Demoni Alati is located in the Etruscan necropolis of Sovana (Grosseto, Southern Tuscany, Italy). At the end of the 1990s, excavation revealed remains of this aedicule tomb, carved into red tuff; in 2004, further excavation highlighted new important figurative elements. The Etruscans used different methods to decorate the rock surfaces of the tomb, which were particularly difficult to paint. For this reason, the porous and irregular surface of the tuff was modelled and coated with specific materials. The aim of this work was to study the materials and manufacturing techniques of the preparatory layers applied onto the rock surface in the Tomba dei Demoni Alati. Minero-petrographic, chemical, and micro-chemical characterization of the layers was carried out. The obtained results suggest that different methods were used to prepare the tomb surfaces to be painted. In particular, in the niche of the tomb, two preparatory layers were found: a Ca-based plaster covers the rock; above it, a thin white Ca lime layer was applied. In the sculptures inside the niche, the colors were applied onto two finishing white Ca lime layers of similar composition, whereas, in the decorations of the sculptured surfaces on the outside, paint layers were laid onto a thin white silica stratum. The data allow us to determine the use of plaster, for the first time, in Tuscany, as well as the discovery of a preparation layer never before found in any other local archaeological context.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/7/3542Etruscan paintingsTomba dei Demoni Alatiplaster layersminero-petrographic and chemical characterization |
| spellingShingle | Elena Pecchioni Pasquino Pallecchi Gianna Giachi Sara Calandra Alba P. Santo The Preparatory Layers in the Etruscan Paintings of the Tomba dei Demoni Alati in the Sovana Necropolis (Southern Tuscany, Italy) Applied Sciences Etruscan paintings Tomba dei Demoni Alati plaster layers minero-petrographic and chemical characterization |
| title | The Preparatory Layers in the Etruscan Paintings of the Tomba dei Demoni Alati in the Sovana Necropolis (Southern Tuscany, Italy) |
| title_full | The Preparatory Layers in the Etruscan Paintings of the Tomba dei Demoni Alati in the Sovana Necropolis (Southern Tuscany, Italy) |
| title_fullStr | The Preparatory Layers in the Etruscan Paintings of the Tomba dei Demoni Alati in the Sovana Necropolis (Southern Tuscany, Italy) |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Preparatory Layers in the Etruscan Paintings of the Tomba dei Demoni Alati in the Sovana Necropolis (Southern Tuscany, Italy) |
| title_short | The Preparatory Layers in the Etruscan Paintings of the Tomba dei Demoni Alati in the Sovana Necropolis (Southern Tuscany, Italy) |
| title_sort | preparatory layers in the etruscan paintings of the tomba dei demoni alati in the sovana necropolis southern tuscany italy |
| topic | Etruscan paintings Tomba dei Demoni Alati plaster layers minero-petrographic and chemical characterization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/7/3542 |
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