Chemical-technological research and radiocarbon AMS dating of wall painting fragments from the ruins of the XIIth-XIIIth centuries AD church from archaeological excavations in the city of Smolensk, Russia

Mariya Kabanova,Konstantin Voronin

doi:10.1186/s40494-020-00389-w

Mariya Kabanova, Konstantin Voronin

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-020-00389-w

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Journal: Heritage Science	Publication Date: May 11, 2020
Citations: 9	License type: open-access

Affiliation: Russian Academy of Sciences

Abstract

In 2012, the ruins of a temple of the old Russian period were found during archaeological research in the medieval historical territory of Smolensk. The archaeological complex consists of the ruins of an ancient temple, built in the middle of the XIIth century AD, and adjacent to it from the South-West of the territory, which housed the remains of the market XI-turn XIII-XIV centuries AD and necropolis XIII–XVI centuries AD. Chronologically diverse use of the investigated territory up to the XVIth century AD was determined by the nearby Church. Approximately 1000 fragments of wall paintings, 5 fragments window glass and 4 glazed floor tiles were found near the ruins of the Church building. For the first time fragments of wall paintings medieval of Old Russian temple were dated by the AMS radiocarbon dating and went through chemical-technological research (analysis of the plaster foundation, the definition of used pigments) by X-RAY diffractometry (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS). Optical microscopy also was used for visual observations of the samples of the wall painting. According to the results of the radiocarbon analysis, the fragments of the wall paintings were divided into two chronological groups. The earlier belongs to the last quarter of the XIIth–the first quarter of the XIIIth century AD. Samples of the wall paintings from the second group are dated back to the third quarter of the XIIIth century AD. A narrow range of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating of fragments of the murals, obtained from carbonates due to the presence of high content of C14 isotope in carbon of the plaster, is simultaneous in age to the moment of creation of the plaster base. As a result of chemical and technological researches of the fragments of the wall paintings it was established that the plaster basis of the fragments of the wall painting consists of two layers. The plaster base contains organic binders. Chemical and technological analysis of pigments presents the following results: (1) the basis of the blue paint layer is ultramarine (mineral) and anatase (mineral); (2) the basis of the green paint layer is celadonite (mineral); (3) the basis of the brown paint layer is ochre (clay); (4) black particles in the colorful mixture of brown is an organic wood coal pigment.

Highlights

Any remains of the temples, constructed in the period before the Mongol invasion to the lands of Rus’ in 1237 AD–1240 AD, are considered rare archaeological findings
None of the previously known archaeological complexes associated with ancient Russian temples was examined using a complex of natural scientific research methods, including the parallel implementation of chemical and technological analysis of samples of wall paintings and radiocarbon dating of carbon-containing mural fragments and masonry elements of the temple by atomic mass spectrometry
Radiocarbon Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) dating The radiocarbon dates of the mural fragments from the excavations in Smolensk contained in the plaster base, made from carbonates and coal, turned out to be about 30–160 years younger than the dates obtained for the carbon-containing samples from the masonry church solution, which has a calibrated 2σ radiocarbon age around the middle of the XII century AD. (UGAMS15774 P70 900 ± 20; UGAMS-15775 P85 940 ± 20) (Fig. 7)

Summary

Introduction

Any remains of the temples, constructed in the period before the Mongol invasion to the lands of Rus’ in 1237 AD–1240 AD, are considered rare archaeological findings. None of the previously known archaeological complexes associated with ancient Russian temples was examined using a complex of natural scientific research methods, including the parallel implementation of chemical and technological analysis of samples of wall paintings (the study of plaster base; determination of pigments used in paintings) and radiocarbon dating of carbon-containing mural fragments and masonry elements of the temple by atomic mass spectrometry.

Results

Conclusion