Abstract
The present work examines the polychromy applied to a number of fragmentary ivory small-scale sculptures that served as components of the luxurious decoration of chryselephantine couches from ancient Macedonia. The ivory fragments come from funerary contexts (the tomb of Philip II at Aigai, the Macedonian tomb II of Korinos at Pydna and the Macedonian tomb III of Aghios Athanassios near Thessaloniki), all of which are dated to the last quarter of the fourth century BC. The use of bright pigments on the laboriously executed faces of the figures and their garments, together with the gold leaf applied onto the hair and the background, conveys a powerful effect of polychromy that would have immediately caught the spectator’s eye, enhancing the overall aesthetic and material value of such lavishly decorated furniture. The identification of the pigments and the techniques of their application have been studied with the use of analytical methods (XRF, micro-XRF, XRD and SEM-EDS) and multi spectral imaging (Visible Induced Luminescence).
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