Ion beam analysis of ancient Egyptian wall paintings

Abstract

Polychromatic decorations of ancient Egyptians tombs and temples have a long tradition over three millennia but are hard to identify because many pigments have been subjected to severe chemical reactions, which have entirely changed their original colours. Optical microscopy, PIXE and microbeam-PIXE have been used for determination of the nature of pigments, their chronology, and identification of domestic and imported materials. Paint flakes from various archeological sites in Egypt were analyzed: we report the results of the analysis of samples which were collected at the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III (Habu Town), and the tombs of Tuthmosis III (Valley of the Kings) and Sennefer (Valley of the Noblemen). The paint is composed of grains of sizes typically ranging from 50 μm to 300 μm embedded in binding material and has great non-uniformity of pigment depth and lateral distributions and discontinuity of the paint layers. Qualitative analysis using broad beam PIXE has been performed to allow determination of the average composition of both support and pigments. Microbeam-PIXE has been used for mapping of selected grains. Goethite FeO(OH) (yellow), orpiment As 2S 3 (green), and the two blues: Egyptian Blue CaCuSi 4O 10 and Green Frit CaCuSiO 3 (mixed with the red haematite Fe 2O 3) were identified, and interesting details of the painting technique of ancient masters, like blending of pigments and the use of multilayer structures, were revealed.