Abstract
Fragments of painted limestone reliefs from the Palace of Apries in Upper Egypt excavated by Flinders Petrie in 1908–1910 have been investigated using visible-induced luminescence imaging, micro X-ray fluorescence, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, micro X-ray powder diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The pigments have been mapped, and the use and previous reports of use of pigments are discussed. Mainly lead–antimonate yellow, lead–tin yellow, orpiment, atacamite, gypsum/anhydrite, and Egyptian blue have been detected. It is the first time that lead–antimonate yellow and lead–tin yellow have been identified in ancient Egyptian painting. In fact, this is the earliest examples known of both of these yellow pigments in the world.
Highlights
This paper constitutes the second and final article in the series on the technical examination of the painted fragments from the so-called Palace of Apries housed in the collection of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (NCG)
According to the tentative pigment identification performed as part of the Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) analysis in the binding media investigation, the green paint layer would appear to be based on atacamite [1]
The palette identified includes gypsum, calcite, Egyptian blue, haematite, lead–antimonate yellow, lead–tin yellow, orpiment, and probably atacamite. Most of these pigments are paralleled by known examples of ancient Egyptian painting
Summary
This paper constitutes the second and final article in the series on the technical examination of the painted fragments from the so-called Palace of Apries housed in the collection of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (NCG). The number of technical studies of ancient Egyptian painting is increasing, it is still infinitesimal considering that it pertains to a period spanning thousands of years. The majority of the published studies focus on material from the New Kingdom [2,3,4,5] and the Greco-Roman Period [6].1. Most of the studies published from these less elucidated periods focus on coffins and papyri rather than wall paintings. The investigation of the Palace of Apries constitutes a significant contribution to our understanding of painted decoration from the Late Period as well as to our knowledge of wall paintings in relation to secular prestige buildings
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