Analysis and Characterization of the Soteria Mosaic in the Antakya Museum with Archeometric Techniques

Abstract

Mosaic, like all other branches of art, is one of the most important aesthetic ties that human beings establish with the world. When we look at the mosaic, we can see the changing traces of the past and relive the time that has been forgotten for a long time. Mosaic is an eternal art that has endured natural conditions such as wind and rain and has survived to the present day with slight damages. This study was carried out in three stages. First, the stone tessera of the Soteria mosaic were color analyzed using the portable Color Detector X-Rite CAPSURE precision color measuring instrument. The tesserae were then analyzed using the Energy Dispersive Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer device, which is a non-destructive method for quantitative analysis of its elements. In the next stage, petrographic analysis was performed in laboratory environment to determine the rock type and minerals of 10 stone tessera belonging to the Soteria mosaic. As a result, the examination of the qualities and contents of the materials used in the mosaics; By establishing a connection between the past, present and future, it will be able to make important contributions in revealing the reasons why the mosaics have survived to the present day.