Journal Article

X-ray microfluorescence with synchrotron radiation applied in the analysis of pigments from ancient Egypt

Mendonça de Souza, S.M.F., Calza, C., Brancaglion Jr, A., Anjos, M.J., Lopes, R.T.

2008

Overview

In this work, X-ray microfluorescence with the synchrotron radiation technique was applied in the analysis of pigments found in decorative paintings in the sarcophagus of an Egyptian mummy. This female mummy, from the Roman Period, which was embalmed with the arms and legs swathed separately is considered one of the most important pieces of the Egyptian Collection from the National Museum (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The measurements were performed at the XRF beamline D09B of the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), using the white beam and a Si(Li) detector with resolution of 165 eV at 5.9 keV. The possible pigments found in the samples were: Egyptian blue, Egyptian green frit, green earth, verdigris, malachite, ochre, realgar, chalk, gypsum, bone white, ivory black and magnetite. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to the results in order to verify if the samples belong to the same period of a linen wrapping fragment, whose provenance was well established.

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Applied sciences / Chalk / Characterization and Evaluation of Materials / Chemical industry and chemicals / Cluster analysis / Condensed Matter Physics / Dyes, pigments / Egyptology / Exact sciences and technology / Frit / Gypsum / Industrial chemicals / Linen / Machines / Manufacturing / Nanotechnology / Optical and Electronic Materials / Physics / Physics and Astronomy / Pigments / Principal components analysis / Processes / Radiation / Surfaces and Interfaces / Synchrotron radiation / Thin Films