Abstract
Looking at the façade of a historical building, it is often difficult to distinguish between the original decoration and later additions. One such building is the Holy Virgin Mary Church at the Malbork Castle (Northern Poland), built between 1276 and 1406. During the latest restoration works, ceramic tiles with some remnants of the green glaze, decorating the Holy Virgin Mary Church façade, were studied in situ using portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Micro-samples were analyzed in laboratory by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM–EDS) and wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM–WDS), micro-Raman spectroscopy and powder X-ray micro-diffraction. We found that what was originally thought to be a paint layer was in fact a heavily deteriorated SiO2–PbO glaze. White, yellow and black pigments were found to have been added into the glaze as opacifiers and colorants. Copper and iron were used as glaze colorants. The originally added pigments were transformed into new phases, such as antimony-doped tin oxide. The technology used to produce the glazed tiles was identified. All the results collectively confirmed the medieval origin of the green glazed tiles.Graphical abstractGothic green glazed tile from Malbork Castle: multi-analytical study.
Highlights
Built by the Order of the Teutonic Knights of St
The aim of this study, accompanying the recent restoration works conducted in the Upper Castle in Malbork, was to examine and date the green and grey patches of color found on the blind arch frieze with the vine ornament on the façades of the Holy Virgin Mary Church (Figs. 2a, b, 3)
In the case of the Malbork tiles, the results indicate lead was mixed with the mixed-alkali glass (Na, K, Ca, Mg, P confirmed by scanning electron microscope (SEM)/energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS)/wavelength dispersive X-ray spectrometer (WDS))
Summary
Built by the Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary’s Hospital in Jerusalem (Deutscher Orden) between about 1276 and 1406 [1], the castle in Malbork (Marienburg) (Fig. 1) is one of the largest medieval monastic fortresses in Europe. The oldest tiles, which are studied in the present article, are situated on the eastern part of the southern façade of the church (Fig. 2b on the right); they date back to the first construction phase of the castle.
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