137-146

New evidence for the technique of the painted stelae from Vergina : a preliminary evaluation of the archaeometric results

• Σαατσόγλου-Παλιαδέλη, Χρυσούλα

This paper presents the archaeological approach to the preliminary archaeometric results concerning the colours of the painted stelae of Vergina. Our questions posed to the team of the Centre of Nuclear Research, Democritos dealing with archaeometry referred to: a) the composition of the colours and b) the technique employed for the painting. The conclusions of the 22 tiny samples which were examined, were the following:1 ) The composition of the colours is similar to that of the stelae of Demetrias: Egyptian blue, haematite for red, ochre for yellow and brown, carbon for black and malachite for green.2) The wide use of lead white is remarkable; apart from two colours which did not contain impurities, red and blue, the rest were based on the mixture of lead white with the colouring substance. This use probably explains certain problems concerning the technique of the painted stelae of Vergina (water colour instead of encaustic) and the damage of the colours. However, it mainly indicates the close relation of ancient painting to Byzantine painting also using lead white. The survival of the ancient traditional techniques to the Byzantine period, will probably contribute to the understanding of the poorly attested Classical painting techniques

• History and Archaeology

• Ανασκαφές (Αρχαιολογία)

Βεργίνα, συνέδρια

Το κείμενο αυτό αποτελεί την πρώτη απόπειρα για την αρχαιολογική προσέγγιση των αρχαιομετρικών πορισμάτων, που προέκυψαν από την έρευνα του μαρμάρου και των χρωστικών ουσιών των επιτάφιων σημάτων από τη Βεργίνα. Μικρή περίληψη για την τεχνική των γραπτών στηλών δημοσιεύτηκε στα Abstracts του 25ου Διεθνούς Συμποσίου Αρχαιομετρίας, που έγινε στην Αθήνα τον Μάιο του 1986 (V. Perdikatsis, Y. Maniatis & Chr. Paliadeli, Identification of the Technique of Painting of the Vergina Tombstones, 147)