The Volterran Urns

The artistic evolution of the V olterran cinerary urns is a good representation of E truscan painting from the fourth to the first century bc . The interest generated by this type of object directed our research towards the study of the V olterran artefacts, including the analysis of the pigments as well as that of the rocks used for the coffers. The entire colour range shown by the painted urns has been sampled and investigated through R aman microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Rock samples were taken both from the urns and from outcrops in ancient carbonate rock quarries near V olterra, from where they may potentially have been sourced. A set of 30 samples was collected and submitted to stable carbon and oxygen isotope analyses. The results obtained showed that the pigments used for the decoration of the V olterran urns were basically constituted by red ochre, E gyptian blue, carbon black and gypsum. The identification of lead‐based pigments and barium sulphates further informed us about old restorations undergone by several urns. As far as the provenance issue is concerned, the isotopic data indicate that the rocks used for the four urns were favourably comparable to those outcropping at Pignano, while two other urns were more similar to those sampled along the E lsa R iver at C olle V al d' E lsa

Archaeology · Art · Geochemistry · Geography · Mineralogy · Outcrop · Painting · Provenance · Visual arts · Building materials and conservation · Chemistry · Conservation Techniques and Studies · Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis · Geology

• Identification of an Ancient Birch Bark Quiver from a Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618–907) Tomb in Xinjiang, Northwest China

  Open Access•Huiyun Rao, Yimin Yang et al.•Economic Botany•2017

  Incluir item

• Stable Isotopes of Holocene Calcareous Tufa in Southern Poland as Paleoclimatic Indicators

  Open Access•Anna Pazdur, Mieczysław F Pazdur et al.•Quaternary Research•1988

  Incluir item

• Stable isotope record of palaeoclimatic change in a British Holocene tufa

  Open Access•Julian E Andrews, H M Pedley et al.•The Holocene•1994

  Incluir item

• The production technology of Egyptian blue and green frits from second millennium BC Egypt and Mesopotamia

  Open Access•Gareth D Hatton, A J Shortland et al.•Journal of Archaeological Science•2008

  Incluir item

• Hydrological Implications from 14 C Profiling of UK Tufa

  Open Access•P M Thorpe, R L Otlet et al.•Radiocarbon•1980

  Incluir item