Non-Invasive Investigation of Pigments of Wall Painting in S. Maria Delle Palate di Tusa (Messina, Italy)

Mollica Nardo Mollica Nardo,Saladino Saladino,Renda Renda,Vasi Vasi,Parrotta Parrotta,Anastasio Anastasio,Caponetti Caponetti,Ponterio Ponterio,Bonanno Bonanno

doi:10.3390/heritage2030147

Abstract

The characterization of materials used in the archaeological field needs an experimental approach in order to avoid the destruction or perturbation of artworks. In order to afford this purpose, a multi-analytical spectroscopic approach is regularly used. We combined non-invasive analysis by using handheld spectroscopic instrumentations (mainly XRF and Raman spectrometers) in order to characterize the wall painting preserved in the church of S. Maria delle Palate at Halaesa Arconidea archeological site (Tusa, Messina, Italy). The aim of the work is the characterization of the nature of pigments used for the realization of the wall painting. The wall painting, probably representing St. Francis in the act of receiving the stigmata, has been subject to cleaning and restoration. Thanks to use of in situ measurement, we have identified hematite and goethite for the red and yellow respectively, and lazurite for the blue. In addition, some relevant information about the black pigment, the technique used for the realization and the conservation state were also obtained. The results obtained during the diagnostic campaign have been a support for the work of restorers. For the first time, the wall painting has been studied, increasing the knowledge of Halaesa Arconidea archaeological site.

Highlights

The aim of the work is the characterization of the nature of pigments used for the realization of the wall painting
Maria delle Palate [1] is located on a hill overlooking the coast, in the municipality of Tusa, in the province of Messina (Italy), within the archaeological area of the ancient Halaesa Arconidea [2,3]
Raman spectroscopy proved very useful for red, yellow and blue pigments as we show below, while the analysis of the black and brown area didn’t give significant spectra measurements

Summary

Introduction

Maria delle Palate [1] is located on a hill overlooking the coast, in the municipality of Tusa, in the province of Messina (Italy), within the archaeological area of the ancient Halaesa Arconidea [2,3]. The town of Halaesa, on the Tyrrhenian coast of Sicily, was founded in 403 BC and abandoned around the 10th century AD. Halaesa remains famous in history during the establishment of Roman rule and following a probable redistribution of the land, having been one of the first Sicilian cities to come under the rule of the Romans. Today’s Tusa will rise from the ruins of Halaesa, strategically located further inland, on top of a naturally fortified hill. In the middle of the 20th century, the excavations made it possible to trace large tracts of the walls that surrounded the whole hill on which the town was founded

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